Becoming James and Lily
by Jennyalberta
Summary: A while back I decided that until JK actually comes out with a story about the Marauders I'm going to write one myself. So how did Lily and James even become Lily and James? Well it didn't happen all at once, but then again it did.
1. Chapter 1: Lily Evans Head Girl

The tapping of feet on my window was what woke me up. I sprung out of bed to let my owl, Nibbles, in before he woke up Petunia. My parents would be just as excited as I was to have gotten my last years letter from Hogwarts. That thought stopped me short as I took the envelope from Nibbles. It was going to be my last year at Hogwarts. Where had all the time gone? I still remembered the day that Professor McGonagall had appeared on our front porch to explain to me and my parents that I wasn't the normal kid that we had all thought I was. Of course I already knew all of the details about Hogwarts and magic, my friend Severus had told me years before, but I had kept it from my parents. They found it surprising to learn all about me.

That had taken place six years ago and within those six years so much had happened. I spent most of my days at Hogwarts and when I wasn't there I was wishing I was there. I had learned a lot of magic and then just two years ago I had lost my best friend. Severus and I had had quite the fight. He had called me the worst name that anybody could call a muggle born. He had call me a Mud-blood. After that I had started to realize that Severus and I were just heading down different paths. He was hanging out with a bunch of students that called themselves Death Eaters and were supporting a man who called himself Lord Voldemort. I tried not to think about Voldemort too much, he had gone on a killing spree as of late and I was starting to believe that he might actually get what he wanted, terror from the whole wizarding world.

Bringing myself back to the present I opened up my letter from Hogwarts. The envelope looked a little bit fatter than normal and to my surprise the first thing that my fingers touched when I reached inside the envelope was metal. I pulled out a badge that had the words Head girl inscribed on it. Me, head girl? That couldn't be possible. I was muggle born! But there it was cold in my hands.

"Lily? Time to wake up!" My mom said bursting into my room. She took a minute to study me and then said. "What is that, dear?"

I still couldn't believe it so I just held it up. My mom hadn't put her glasses on yet so she had to come up close to see what it said. "Head Girl, honey that's amazing. What exactly does that mean in the wizarding community?"

"I'm not exactly sure, mom. I haven't read my letter yet."

"Well, go ahead and read it and you can bring the news down to the breakfast table. Your father and I are heading into London today on business but maybe we could drop you off at the Leaky Cauldron so you can get your stuff." With that she left my room. I guess it's fair to admit that I was a little nervous to look at the letter and see what my new found powers would lead to, so instead I briefly glanced around my room.

Until the age of 11 I had prided myself in being different. Where Petunia, my older sister always wanted to be normal I was happy that I was different. I could make flowers open and shut just by thinking about it. I loved it. And as I looked around my room I could tell that that part of me hadn't changed. I had a chest that sat at the end of my bed that was wide open. It was mostly empty although at the bottom there was a variety of cards with pictures of famous witches and wizards moving on them, that was my chocolate frog card collection. Then there was Nibbles cage which sat on my desk. The part of my desk that wasn't taken over by the cage was covered with papers with little bits of writing on them that probably would make no sense to the average muggle. Those were my notes from school. On my nightstand was a picture of my class at Hogwarts when we were all first years. We were all moving around on it and it made me smile everytime I looked at it. I stood by a boy with crazy brown hair in the picture he kept trying to put his arm around me, not in a romantic sort of way (we were only eleven), but in a friend kind of way. I kept pushing his arm back at him and then his friends that stood by him silently laughed.

I laughed whenever I looked at the picture because I was proud of my younger self even then I didn't particularly like James Potter. I mean I never hated him I had no reason to. I had never really appreciated his bullying, but he was sweet in his terribly annoying, immature way. James had taken to asking me out whenever he got the chance.

"Hey Evans, want to go out with me?" I remembered him asking one night at about two in the morning the night before a big final that I was stressed about and had stayed up late studying for until I was almost dead on my feet.

"I will if you go out with me Evans." James replied once when I had told him to go away when I was having a rather bad day.

And then probably the one that had made me laugh the most was on the last day of school last year, I had been walking with one of my best girl friends, Anna, when suddenly from above I heard "Lily Evans!" I craned my neck to look up and saw James floating above me on his broom.

By this time I just found most of his invitations hilarious so I returned with "James Potter!"

"I was thinking we could meet up this summer and go to Diagon Alley." It was probably one of the most sincere that I had heard so far. "And you know maybe share a shake and even end up falling in love."

I started to laugh and so did Anna. "Potter, that's never going to happen." We continued walking and he still flew above us.

"Come on, Evans. Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?" Me and Anna had been watching where we were walking so we had altered our course but James hadn't been watching where he was flying.

"No."

"Ple... AHHH!" Right then was when the Whomping Willow struck. It would have been really horrible except that James tried his hardest not to get hit the tree again and in the process got struck three more times. Anna and I were laughing our heads off.

Back in the present I also noticed my wand that was sitting on my nightstand. I never quite understood why I always placed it there, but for some reason I did. It didn't make sense because I wasn't allowed to use magic outside school, but sometimes when I was feeling a little down I would hold onto it. I found that holding it made me feel more safe.

Finally I sighed and resigned myself to look at the letter. It was mostly the same as all of the other years the only big difference was.

"We are pleased to inform you that the Headmaster, Professor Dumbledore, has chosen you out of all your classmates to be Head Girl. We are sure you will rise to the occasion. Your duties will include consulting with the Head Boy on the Hogwarts Express and setting up patrols of the train as well as meeting with the headmaster after the opening feast to receive the rest of your instructions." I sighed it didn't look I like I was going to be getting anymore information than that. So with that I put my letter and badge into my purse and changed for the day.

When I arrived at the breakfast table Petunia stood up. I looked at her plate and realized that she had just barely touched her food and she was already leaving. It didn't surprise me summers had been hard ever since Petunia and I had had our row right before my first year at Hogwarts. I wasn't mad at her, but she still thought I was a freak. So whenever I walked in a room she promptly walked out. The first two summers my parents didn't notice the change they were too absorbed in asking me questions about school. The next two summers they tried to get us to make up. And then the last two summers they had given up.

"Petunia!" barked my father. "Sit!" She glared at me. In truth I felt bad for her. Petunia was an exceptionally bright young lady that always got good grades in her school, she was mostly nice to everybody (or had been), and she never got the attention she deserved from our parents. I knew why it was because I was the odd one in the family, but they didn't think I was odd I was special and that made me more interesting in their eyes. Petunia's life was just normal the same thing happened everyday.

"Lily has an announcement don't you dear?" my mom cooed. I wish that she could keep it to herself. Petunia didn't need to hear how I was exceptional even among the people she called freaks.

"Yes, Petunia has a boyfriend." It shot out of my mouth and I couldn't call it back. I was trying to direct some attention towards her, trying to be nice really, but once I said it I knew how it would be taken that I was spying on her. Which I hadn't been I had gone out to get mother her groceries when I had seen Petunia with the man, holding hands.

"You do?" asked my mom turning to her. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"Because he's not coming over." she snapped. "Can I go now?"

"No." said my mother. "Tell the other news, Lily."

"Fine. Igotheadgirlathogwarts." I said it really quietly and really fast.

"What?" asked my father.

Might as well get it over with. "I got Head Girl at Hogwarts." I said.

"Oh that's great." boomed my father. I was then bombarded with thousands of questions only like two I could answer. I watched as Petunia silently snuck out of the room and for the first time in my life I wish that I was her.


	2. Chapter 2: Diagon Alley With James

Chapter two:

"You sure you are going to be ok, on your own?" asked my mom as we pulled the family car in front of the Leaky Cauldron. Well semi in front seeing how my parents could barely see it.

"Yes mom, I will be fine. I'm almost of age in the Wizarding World anyways." I said, opening the back door.

"Ok, we will be back in about four hours. Have fun." and with that they zoomed away. If truth was to be told I was secretly glad that my parents wouldn't be coming with me. Sure it was fun the first couple of times to see their faces at all the magic, but after a while I started to notice that people were looking at us weird whenever my parents would let out a squeal of delight at something they found.

I walked into the Leaky Cauldron and sat down at the bar up front. Tom, the owner, immediately came over to me. "Miss Evans, good to see you again. What can I get for you?" My first year shopping in Diagon Alley my parents had been so excited about everything that they had to know about everything so we had come to the bar to see what they sold. And after buying me a butterbeer (my parents had to make sure there was no alcohol in it.) it had become a tradition.

"One butterbeer please." I said.

"Make that two." came a voice from behind me. I turned and saw James Potter taking the seat next to mine. "Hello, Evans." He said beaming.

"Hello, Potter. Where is your group of lackies?" James never went anywhere without his three best friends. Sirius, Lupin, and Peter.

"Remus is on holiday somewhere, Sirius hates shopping and sent me with his money to buy his school supplies, and I haven't a clue where Peter is most of the time these days." James replied.

"So you're alone?" I asked.

"Yup, pretty much. What about you where are your parents and your friends?" He asked.

"Anna has been away on holiday all summer and has asked us not to write her. And Alice hasn't written me back in ages. As for my parents they are at a business meeting and dropped me off here." Part of me briefly wondered why I was answering any of his questions let alone talking to him.

"So you're going shopping?" I wondered briefly if he knew how stupid that question sounded. He asked the question as Tom came back and handed us our drinks.

"Yes." I said taking a swig.

"Alone?"

"Duh." I replied.

"Me too, maybe you and I should go shopping alone together." I have him a quizzical look. "Well, you know we're both in the same year so obviously we'll be having to get much of the same items. We're going to be running into each other a lot anyway. And I'm sure you don't want to go shopping alone anymore than I do." I was still staring at him. Was this his tactful way of asking me out again? "Not as a date! As two classmates. Nevermind it's dumb. I"ll see you around Evans." And with that he started to push away from the counter.

"Wait!" I called out finishing my butterbeer. "I'm coming." His face lit up. "Just so that it's clear this is not a date. You are not to treat it as a date, and you are not to touch me at all. Got it?" I said as we walked into the back of the Leaky Cauldron.

"You have my word." He was still smiling hugely so I still wasn't quite sure if I could trust him. He tapped the brick that let us into Diagon Alley. "And since this isn't a date, that means that we are here as friends so that means my name is James." He said.

"Fine, then my name is Lily." I replied a little hotly. If it was up to me I probably would have never called him Potter, it wasn't in my nature to call people by their last names, but when we were younger he had started calling me Evans and I wasn't about to put up with that without a fight. That's why I started calling him Potter.

"Ok, Lily besides the stuff on our list what else do you need?" He asked. I could tell he was mocking me.

"I need new school robs, James." I emphasised his name for extra measure.

"Me too. Madame Malkins?" He asked extending his arm. At first I looked at it as a romantic gesture but then I looked up into his eyes and saw they were alight with laughter. I smiled and took his arm.

"Let's go."

All in all the day with James wasn't too bad once I forgot myself and the fact that I had never liked him or gotten along with him it was easy. And forgetting those things wasn't too hard either. James had never been mean to me directly in fact he had always been rather nice to me, it was Severus that he had been mean to and seeing how Severus and I weren't friends anymore it was easier to be nicer to James.

Soon I realized that I had spent more time than I had planned to in Diagon Alley. I had planned just to get all of the stuff on my list and then leave, but with James it wasn't that easy. He kept pulling me to different places. I think we must have spent an hour at the Quidditch shop. I had never liked Quidditch, but James face lit up every time we moved to a new broomstick and the way he talked about it you would have thought that he was a parent talking about his child. It was definitely interesting to see.

"So you don't spend all of you time planning pranks on people?" I joked when we walked out of the shop.

"Not all of it." He said smiling. "Usually Sirius comes up with the idea and then I make it better and we kind of go from there."

That was when I looked at my watch. "Crap! Look at the time I was supposed to meet my parents ages ago. They are going to be so upset." After I said that I realized that was a lie. My parents would be so pleased that I had taken some interest into the Wizarding world.

"You can just blame it on me." said James also looking at his watch and kind of glaring at it for telling him the time. I was reminded that to me this had just been a fun day with a classmate, but to James this had probably just been a step in the right direction for us.

"We'll see about that one." I said.

"Well I guess this is where we part. I took the floo network." He said pointing towards one of the shops.

"Right, and my parents will be picking me up outside the Leaky Cauldron."

"Well good bye then." said James heading off. I stood there stunned for a moment. All of me knew that he liked me that he liked me a lot, but yet somehow he had constrained himself from hugging me good-bye. Why? I didn't know and after looking at my watch again I realized I didn't have time to sit there and think about it. I started jogging down Diagon Alley.

"Hey honey, how was your day?" asked my mom not even mentioning the fact that I was two hours late.

"It was interesting." I said still deep in thought about this new found James. Was he really growing up?


	3. Chapter 3: Meet the Head Boy

Chapter 3:

The rest of the summer went by fast but in my opinion not fast enough. Petunia had mastered the ability to avoid me in just a few minutes. I almost felt like everywhere she went she was looking over her shoulder to make sure I wasn't there. And my parents weren't helping much either. They were both too obsessed with the fact that I was going to be head girl. Most of the time I just locked myself up in my room.

But soon enough the first of September came. I woke up extra early just so that I wouldn't leave anything home and so I could spend the rest of my summer thinking about how it was the end of my summer.

"It's the first day of school on my last year of school, that has to have some sentimental value." And it did. The more and more I thought about leaving Hogwarts the more and more that I didn't want to. I think that was one of the first times that I actually thought about getting a job at Hogwarts. I could become a teacher and then I would never have to leave. That thought made me a little bit happier and so with that in mind I walked down to breakfast. Petunia was already gone, somewhere, I had heard her get up early, and my mom had made all of my favorites for breakfast. Well all of my favorites that she made, I had never told her that I actually prefered the Hogwarts food over hers. I don't think she would have been too flattered to know that house elves were better cooks than her.

Before I knew it we were at Kingscross Station. "Where is he?" asked my mom looking around.

"Mom, I've told you Severus and I aren't friends anymore." I moaned. It was so annoying to have my parents hanging on him just because he had gotten me through a lot growing up.

"No, not him. James. The boy from last year." I was suddenly mortified. I had totally forgotten that the year before James had come running up to me and had swept me into a big huge hug like we had been friends forever and then had dragged me onto the train after telling my parents that I was amazing. It shouldn't have surprised me that after that my mom would have fallen for him.

"Mom, I told you he's not my friend, he never has been, and I doubt he ever will be."

"Why not?" asked my father, "He likes you."

"So I don't become friends with somebody just because he likes me. He's a pompous jerk ok?"

"Pompous jerk really Evans?" came a voice from behind me. I groaned and turned around to see James's face smiling at me. And behind him stood his three best friends. Sirius was standing on his right his eyes as wild as always and looking like he just wanted to run around. Sirius really did look like he could be James's brother. Remus stood on the right, he was taller than the rest and a little skinnier and he looked rather annoyed that they were here bugging me. Remus Lupin was probably my favorite out of the foursome. And then Peter was short, and fat and kind of looked like a rat. His eyes were darting everywhere.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

James ignored me. "Hello, Mrs. Evans how are you today? Looking as lovely as always. and Mr. Evans have you been working out. You almost look younger than you did last year and that's saying something."

What was I supposed to do when he was complimenting my parents although I knew that he didn't mean a word of it.

"Right, well the train is going to be taking off soon." Interjected Remus. This was why I liked Remus, he didn't put up with James's crap, and he usually knew what I was annoyed with James.

"Right, well Lily don't forget to write and, please think about coming home for Christmas break." With that my parents gave me a hug good-bye and us kids walked through the barrier between nine and ten. My parents had walked through it with my my first year, but after that they couldn't get over that fact that the barrier was made of brick and they had refused to see me onto the train from then on. It was the one thing in the wizarding world that bugged them.

As soon as we were through the barrier I turned on James. "I don't like you!" I almost shouted to make sure that my voice could be heard over the noise that was surrounding us.

"I never said you did." He replied while his friends started to head towards the train probably to get him a seat, Sirius was smirking as he walked away.

"No, you didn't, but every year you turn up to talk to my parents and they are going to think that I should give you a chance. You don't get a chance."

"Why not? What did I ever do to you?" It could have just been my imagination but it sounded like he emphasised you as he spoke.

It had the effect he was looking for. I was again reminded that James had never done anything mean to me. "Nothing, except being really annoying."

He took a deep breath. "Remus wanted me to ask you if you would like to sit in our compartment. He said I was supposed to ask in a nice way, but I don't know if I succeed at being nice."

I too took a deep breath. "Tell Remus that's really nice of him to offer, but I really need to find my other friends. Maybe I'll see you guys around." I swear I saw his eyes sparkles when I mentioned other friends as if he was one of my friends.

"Ok." I started to walk off. "Evans?" He called after me.

"Yes?" I said turning half back.

"I'm sorry, about your parents I ruined your goodbye sorry." And with that he stalked off after his friends. I froze in place. He had never apologized for anything. Again I wondered if James Potter had grown up.

I was still thinking about that as I walked down the train corridor. Suddenly one of the compartments opened and I heard. "Lily!" I jumped a little bit before I ran and gave a hug to both Anna and Alice. The next hour as the train took off we were all catching up on our summers. Finally I looked down at my watch and stood up.

"What are you doing?" asked Anna, who was laying on one of the benches taking the whole thing for herself. Her brown curly hair flowing out from under her.

"I have a meeting I'm supposed to go to and another one I have to conduct… I forgot to tell you guys, I'm head girl." And with that I turned around holding up my new badge in one hand and holding my new Gryffindor robes in the other.

"No way!" They both squealed. I liked hanging out with them because they knew more about the wizarding world than I did. So they both sailed into an explanation about my new duties. "And you're pretty much in charge. Well except for the teachers." and on and on it went. Finally I was dressed.

"Well I guess I get to go meet the Head Boy." I said walked to the door.

"Oh and pretty much every Head Boy and Head Girl end up together." said Alice as I shut the door. I shuddered at that I didn't need anybody telling me who I belonged to. Especially not after this morning when my father was telling me that I should give James a chance because he liked me.

I walked into the Head Boy and Head Girl compartment and almost turned around and walked back out. James sat on one of the benches. He was looking very nervous and totally out of place which was totally different from how he normally looked. He looked up as I walked in and his face lit up.

"You?" I said before he could speak, "you're the head boy?" Before he even answered my eyes found their way to his badge that was pinned to his new robes.

"Yes and your head girl? That's great Evan's." Then he muttered, "At least that one makes sense."

"Wait, you don't think you deserve to be Head Boy?" I asked shocked. James was so full of himself that I thought he would have expected it.

"No. My whole career at Hogwarts has been me playing pranks. What kind of head master would ever make a Head Boy out of a jerk?" I felt bad for him. It was probably the first time I ever had.

I walked into the compartment and decided to take a seat. For a moment I wasn't sure where to sit. If I sat directly across from him I would have to look at him and he would probably try to make eye contact. However, if I sat next to him, I would be closer for him to touch. I decided that for the sake of this meeting to sit on the opposite bench.

"Okay, so before the prefects arrive we need to come up with a schedule." I said looking up at him.

"Normally I would say that we should just make the Slytherins do the whole time." He replied, to my shock not meeting my gaze. "But, that wouldn't be fair." He hurried and finished before I could interrupt.

"I think it would only be fair to split it evenly between the houses." I replied nodding.

"Right, but who knows how long this train ride is?" He asked finally looking up at me. His green eyes were piercing. I looked down suddenly embarrassed.

"You do?" He asked incredulous.

"Hey, my friends and I thought it would be fun. Okay, so we're a bit of nerds is that a problem?" I shot back.

"No. So how long does it take?"

"Well we've already been on for a half hour, so about five and a half more hours should do the trick." I said.

"Ok and divide that by four houses…"

"Five, we have to patrol too." I interrupted. James then screwed up his face trying to do the math. I almost laughed at the expression he was pulling.

"So an hour and six minutes each." He concluded after a while.

"Great, so I think we should go last since that's when most of the activity takes place. So maybe Gryffindor and then Hufflepuff and then Ravenclaw and then Slytherin and then us?" I asked.

"I like it." he exclaimed.

The rest of the train ride went by rather fast. Soon the prefects were sitting in the compartment and I was sitting by James thinking that it would only make sense to be seated by my counterpart. We congratulated them on becoming prefect and then we explained the patrols and soon I was back in my compartment with my friends. But too fast James was standing outside telling me it was our turn. My friends went crazy when they found out that James was head boy. They had both been cheering James on for ages. But James and I didn't even talk as we patrolled both of us going different directions.

Soon we were at Hogwarts. My home! "Evans!" James called right before I hopped off the train. I turned around. "I was thinking that after the feast it would be better for us to go up to the headmasters office together. I don't know if you've ever been." He said.

I thought about it and he was right I had no idea where the headmasters office was. "Fine." I said. "I'll see you after the feast."

The start of term feast was always my favorite it somehow helped me remember what it was like to be a first year coming to Hogwarts for the first time. I had known for a couple of years that I was a witch but beside the odd tricks and Sev and I did I had never really seen any magic done before. It was so intense for me to walk into the Great Hall and see that the ceiling actually looked like the night sky. And then when the Sorting Hat had started singing that just made it even better. Now, back in the present me and Anna and Alice, both of whom were both freaking out over the fact that James was the headboy, entered a carriage that was to be pulled by an invisible horse.

"You and James?" Anna kept saying over and over again. I had gotten sick of it and so now I was ignoring her. Once we got up to the drive leading up to the castle I spun around and stared at it. Part of me wondered if this was going to be the last time that I would be able to see the castle on a first night of a term.

"The sight never gets old." Alice said also looking up at the castle like I was.

"Can you believe this is our last year?" Asked Anna who had finally given up on her fascination with me and James.

"No." was my only reply as the carriage came to a halt. It wasn't long before we were in the Great Hall seated and waiting for the first years to come in and be sorted. I knew how they were feeling. They were probably terrified and once again like I had done so many times in the past I wondered briefly why they had Professor McGonagall welcome them. She wasn't that old of a woman but she still had a way of making you tremble.

The doors to the Great Hall banged open and in walked Professor McGonagall followed by a couple dozen of eleven year olds. She lead them up to the professors table where in front of them she set down a three legged stool and on top of it she sat a hat. The hat was fairly old with a rip right by the brim. We all sat and stared at the hat until the rip opened like a mouth and it broke into song.

 _The day is old but the night is young_

 _And the school year has just begun_

 _But before we start_

 _We must be smart_

 _And put you all into a house_

 _The sorting is fairly easy it's not a joust_

 _There are four in which to choose from_

 _So take a seat and bang a drum_

 _As we sit and talk about the Hogwarts Founders_

 _This will help make your knowledge more rounder_

 _Ravenclaw was a smart young lass_

 _She could calculate anything future or past_

 _Hufflepuff was a sweet young miss_

 _And didn't care if she was ever dissed_

 _Gryffindor was a brave young man_

 _He would fight any monster throughout the land_

 _Slytherin was smart and cunning_

 _You would never see him running_

 _So if any of these reminds you of you_

 _Then that will be the house that will stick like glue_

 _So try me on without delay_

 _There is nothing more that I have to say_

As the hat finished its song we all broke into applause. The first years looked a little less scared as McGonagall stepped forward. "I will call your name and you will step forward, have a seat, and the put on the hat and it will tell you your house." And with that the sorting began. I watched as students were split into four houses and applauded when the hat shouted out Gryffindor, but honestly I couldn't remember any of the students names. Truth be told after the sorting hat had finished its song I had gotten quite hungry. And really that was all I could think about, of course that was impart because I refused to think about how in a few short hours I would be walking with James Potter up to the Headmasters office.

After the sorting was over Professor Dumbledore, himself, stood up. "Eat!" was all he said before he sat back down. At that instant the plates before us filled with food. The hall broke into noise. Some people groaning with pleasure and others trying to catch up with all of their friends.

"Lily? You're head girl?" asked a boy named, Derek that was sitting across the table from me. Derek, was a nice boy in my year, him and I had actually gone out a couple of times before I realized that it was best if we just stayed friends.

"Yeah!" I replied still feeling my plate up with mountains of food.

"That's great!" He replied. "Do you know who head boy is?"

"That would be me!" James shouted from a few seats down the table. He was once again surrounded by his best friends and his fans. Wherever he went he seemed to be followed by at least three girls.

"Oh." Derek replied. He hadn't liked James since the time that he and I were dating. James always seemed to find out when we were on a date and show up for no other purpose, but to ruin it. Derek had taken it all very personal when I knew that he shouldn't because James had just been doing it to get on my nerves. "So how was your summer, Lil?" He asked turning his back to James to make sure that he understood that he wasn't invited to join this conversation.

"You know same old same old. My parents trying to figure out as much about the wizarding world as possible. Petunia trying to pretend like I don't exist nothing to talk about really. What about you?" One of the reasons why I had broken up with Derek is because he was full of himself. His whole nice guy, I care about you routine was all just an act. Sure he would ask questions but as soon as you were nice enough to ask questions about him he would suddenly spend the next three hours talking about himself. I had never met another guy like that, not even James who I would have loved to say was exactly like that. But really James did seem to care about other peoples or at least his friends.

Way to soon dinner was over a Dumbledore was standing up to once again address the students. "Now that our stomachs are filled there are a couple of housekeeping items that I wish to touch on before we head off to our nice warm beds. First the Black Forest is out of bounds for all students. Second, Mr. Filtch, our caretaker, would like me to remind you that there is a number of items that are off limits not only in the corridor, but also in the common rooms and dormitories. For the complete list see Mr. Filtch's office door. Now unless I am missing anything it is time for bed. Sleep well."

James didn't waste any time suddenly he was standing right by me. "Evans, ready to go?" Was sounded right in my ear

I screeched,"Potter! Don't do that!"I spun around and slugged him in the stomach without even thinking about it. He grunted to my satisfaction.

"Sorry, sorry, holy crap you can punch. Are you ready to go, Evans?" He said still rubbing his stomach.

"Sure,I guess." I turned to my friends. "I'll be up to the dormitory soon." They all just nodded. I knew what they would talk about, me and James and the rumors that would start flying tomorrow.


	4. Chapter 4: Friends?

The walk up to the headmasters office was a quiet one. I tried my best not to look at James, but out of the corner of my eye I saw him open his mouth a couple of times as if he was about to say something. Each time he shut it again with a snap.

By the time we got to a huge Griffin and stopped I was forcing myself not to laugh. James turned to me to tell me something when he saw the broad grin on my face. "What?"

"Nothing, nothing. I just don't think I have ever seen you be this quiet for this long."

"Whatever, lollipop." He said turning back to the Griffin.

"Excuse me." I rose an eyebrow, but to my surprise the Griffin jumped aside and behind it there was a spiral staircase that was moving steadily upwards.

"Dumbledore has a sweet tooth." Was James's only reply as he stepped forward onto the first stair.

"You have been here a lot haven't you?" I asked as I followed him up.

"Once or twice." Was his vague reply. He looked like he was deep in thought... He was deep in thought? Now that was new. Before I could give some sarcastic response the staircase ended, there was a small landing, and then a large polished oak door. James immediately knocked.

"Come in." came Dumbledore's voice from the otherside. I suddenly wondered how he had gotten here so fast. Did he know a secret passage that we didn't know about? James still not saying a word opened the door. "Ah, Mr. Potter, Miss Evans, how are you two this evening? I hope your journey was well."

I looked at James who didn't look like he was going to answer. " It was wel,l thank you. And the opening feast was great."

"Thank you, Lily. So you two are probably both tired so I will make this as fast as possible. You two are head boy and head girl, and no James I did not make a mistake as I told you over the summer."

That made me look over to James had he seriously written Dumbledore and told him he had made a mistake at making him head boy. James refused to meet my gaze.

"So I will make this fast first you two are in charge of keeping an eye on all of the student body if you see anything wrong or against the rules it its up to you to stop it. Second you two are in charge of the prefects, you are in charge of setting up their patrols and you will have patrols as well. They will report to you and you will report either to a teacher or myself. Understood?" My mind was spinning I had been a prefect but this was a whole other level. But me and James both nodded.

"Oh and you can use the prefect bathroom. Lily knows where that is so you can tell James. That will be all I will see you in three months for you to report on how its going, good night." We were excused just like that. We both turned to walk back to the door. James was gripping the doorknob when Dumbledore spoke again. "Oh and I suggest you two become friends or it will be a long year for all of us."

James opened the door and I walked out after him. My mind was even more confused with that last sentence. James and I become friends? Was that even possible?

James must have been thinking the same thing because he finally talked. "Look he's right. We are going to be spending a lot if time together and it won't help if we are constantly at each others necks. So what do you say Lily, friends?" He had emphasized my first name and he had stopped and held out his hand. I knew what I had to do I had to become James Potter's friend.

"Might as well try." I said taking his hand. I saw in his eyes the sparkle and knew that this would be hard because of the simple fact that he had a crush on me.

"Good so..." And with that he sprang into a conversation it was actually fun talking to him. As we got to the portrait hole he ruined everything.

"Bet your glad Snape and you are no longer friends now or he would never let us be friends." I froze.

"Severus was a great man he just was influenced by the wrong people. I have known him since we were kids. You are a jerk." And with that I stormed through the hole and up to my dorm.

As I went I heard James screaming after me. "Wait, no Lily, come back! I am sorry!" He was chasing after me I could hear him but I was faster. I was already through my door before the stairs turned to a slide. My door was slammed,I had thrown myself on my bed before it started.

"Lily! Lily Evans! Lily! Lily Evans!" And he kept going. Finally after ten rounds of "Lily! Lily Evans!" I sat up and looked at my dorm for the first time since May. All of my roommates that were there were staring at me. "Lily! Lily Evans!"

"Hey guys." I said. James kept screaming my name.

"Lil, what's going on?" Asked Anna.

"James is a jerk." Was my only reply.

"Yes, but he has been a jerk before, so why is he yelling your name this time?"

"Got me." I said lying back down.

Minutes went by and he was still yelling. The door to the dorm opened and I bolted up thinking for a second that he had figured out how to get up here. It was just Amanda, another of our roommates. "LILY!" Came through the door with her.

"James Potter is down at the bottom of the stairs..."

"I know, I know, yelling my name." I said cutting her off.

"Yes and he says he won't leave until you come and listen to him."

"Lily! Lily Evans!"

"Shut up!" Yelled a girl from below.

"Lily, go talk to him!" All four girls in the room exclaimed looking at me.

"No! Then he'll think he won."

"Its not a game. This is your life. You have to put up with him the rest of the year." Said Anna.

She was wrong of course, everything with Potter was a game. And if this was my life for the next year it sucked.

"Well if you're not going to talk to him." Said Anna taking out her wand and putting a silencing charm on the room.

"Lil..." James's voice was cut off.

His voice may have been gone, but as I got ready for bed I felt like I could still hear it.

Part of me hoped that I would just forget about it and be able to sleep but as the clock on the wall drew closer to one I realized that this was not going to happen. I sighed and swung my legs out of bed. There was only one way to fix this...I had to go talk to Potter.

Entering the common room I didn't hear anything. He had stopped yelling. "Potter?" I whispered expecting nobody to reply. What I got wasn't a reply but a soft snore. I walked around the couch ready to reprimand the sleeper and saw to my surprise, Potter. He was sprawled out like he had been sitting and had fallen back when he fell asleep. I stood there for a minute trying to figure out what to do. I had just decided on letting him sleep, he looked so peaceful, when he started awake. I stood there shocked.

"Evans?" He asked groggily, then more awake. "Evans!"

"Potter." I replied quietly. For the first time since I met him he looked so innocent only half awake looking like he was still in a dream. I could tell now why some girls found him good looking. It wasn't hard to see his hair sticking up was slightly endearing and his hazel eyes that were one second one color and the next second something completely different as beautiful, but to me none if those things mattered because it was the person not what they looked like that mattered.

He was staring at me, probably waiting for me to talk first. "Amanda said you weren't going to leave until I talked to you. I didn't realize that meant you would sleep here."

He gave a great big yawn, "I wasn't sleeping."

I rolled my eyes. "Right. Of course not. The great James Potter was just resting his eyes."

"Evans are you being sarcastic? Lily Evans is being sarcastic! I knew we could get a long."

"That's it I am going back to bed." I said making to turn around.

"NO!"he yelled lunging and grabbing my hand. "You can't leave we have to talk."

I took a deep breath before I turned around and was unprepared for the look in his beautiful eyes. His guard was down I could see that he had purposely pulled them down in order for me to listen to him and understand him.

"Okay." I said pulling my hand away from his and going to sit down opposite of him realizing too late I was still in my night gown. "Talk." I said pulling my night gown down a little and noticing his eye catch on the hem of it.

"Well pretty much I am sorry. Sometimes I don't think before I talk. I should have realized that Snape was still kind of important to you, even if you're not friends anymore. If you try to forgive me I promise to think before I talk to you. Always."

I was taken aback. And that made me start talking before I thought. "Its not your fault. I over reacted. Severus and I aren't friends anymore he was a jerk. We were headed in different directions. He wants to be a Death Eater and I believe that all Death Eaters are evil." My eyes started to water but I told myself I wouldn't cry. Not in front of James.

"The war has taken a great toll on all of us." Was the only thing he said nodding.

"You can say that again."

"So Lily, how about a truce? I won't prank you or talk about Severus and you can try to be my friend."

"Ok." I said after thoroughly thinking it over there was no downside. "Let's try this again." And I held out my hand. He shook it.

"So Lily, how was your holiday? How are your parents? Am I ever going to meet your sister?" I laughed at the rush a questions. I started with the last one first.

"Believe me you don't want to meet my sister. She hates anything to do with magic."

"But I am charming a good looking nobody could hate me." I laughed. We talked and talked for hours.


	5. Chapter 5: How Rumors Begin

"Should we wake them up, do you suppose?" Was what woke me up the next morning. I would have ignored it except for two things: first was I didn't remember walking back up to my dorm, second was I did not recognize that voice at all. My eyes flew open and I found myself lying on a couch in the common room with a couple first years standing over me and James who was fast asleep on the floor where he had moved during the night to get closer to the fire or at least that was his excuse.

"Morning!" I said brightly to the first years not feeling at all embarrassed like I probably should. "Let me introduce us. I am Lily and this is James. We are head girl and head boy and last night we were talking about patrols and such and must have fallen a sleep thanks for waking us." James who had stirred when I said his name sat up and nodded to what I was saying. The first years shrugged and left. I looked at James and just started laughing he looked so out of it and his hair was literally standing on end, more so than normal.

"Lily. where are we?" he asked just adding fuel to the laughing fire.

"James," I said gasping, "We're in the common room. We must have fallen a sleep last night." Then suddenly I stopped laughing. "We slept here all night! My friends!" I immediately jumped up from the couch and started running to the girls dormitory stairs.

"Where are you going?" He called after me.

"They are going to wonder where the heck I am! That's how rumors start you know!" I threw back over my shoulder. "I'll see you at breakfast!" I said before I rounded the corner on the stairs and saw the door to my dorm.

"Where the heck is Lily?" came Alice's voice as I opened the door.

"Did anybody hear her leave this morning?" asked Anna.

"You know she always likes to get up early she probably headed down to breakfast already." said Amanda. Dang it. I thought to myself remembering I was still in my night gown and so had to walk into the dorm like that and couldn't just head to the Great Hall. I took a deep breath and entered. I made a bee line for my trunk trying not to make eye contact with any of my room mates.

I knew I was busted because the room went silent. I sighed and looked up. They were all staring at me. "Hi guys." I said throwing open my trunk.

"Where have you been?" Asked Alice.

"Down in the common room. I heard some racket and being Head Girl I went down to figure out what was going on. everything is fine now." I lied. Don't ask me why I lied I just didn't feel like telling them about it.

"Well there you go then." Said Lacey, our other dorm mate who didn't like me very much. I never knew why. The rest of the time we were getting ready was uneventful. Everything changed when we went down to the great hall.

We were walking a long the Gryffindor table trying to find an empty seat when I noticed people looking at me and then turning to whisper and giggle to their neighbors. "Lily, what did you do?" Asked Alice.

"Nothing,I swear." I said happy that we had finally found a seat. I wanted to sit down so people would stop staring.

"Lily," said Raven, a fourth year girl sitting across the table, "Is it true, what they are saying about you and James Potter and what happened last night?" I froze mid lean trying to get bacon.

"What?!"all my friends exclaimed.

"A racket, huh?"asked Alice, "You did nothing, those were your exact words weren't they?"

"Yes they were because nothing happened." I almost yelled not believing what people were saying. It was gross it was wrong, it was uncalled for.

"Do tell." came a voice. I groaned inwardly when I saw James's best friends sit down across the table from us, Sirius totally shoving Raven out of the way. James was nowhere in sight.

"Why don't you ask James?" I grumbled really not appreciating the audience.

"Haven't seen Prongs all morning. We thought he would be here but then we heard the story so then we thought that he would be with you but he obviously isn't. So what happened last night?" Asked Sirius, always the spokesperson for the group. That was so typical of James to leave me to have to explain, some friend he was turning out to be.

"Fine. You know how James was screaming my name last night?" I wasn't happy that I had to explain this to them.

They all nodded. "Well, I felt guilty so I went down to talk to him and we figured it out and are trying to be friends so we were trying to talk to each other so we can know the other better. Nothing else." I finished and glared around at everyone.

Sirius spoke first, "I don't believe you."

"Fine." I snapped and then seeing James making his way toward us I finished, "Ask James." James heard me and almost looked like he was going to run for it. "James!" I called out waving him over. He grumbled, came over and sat between Remus and Peter.

"Prongs!" shouted Sirius giving James the look that he had been giving me just moments before.

"Where have you been?" I asked, glaring at him.

"Would you believe me if I said I was in the library?" he asked loading his plate with food.

"No." Me, Remus, Sirius, Peter, Alice, and Anna all said together.

"Fine, if you must know I heard the start of the rumors after you left this morning and knew that no matter what I told my mates they wouldn't believe me so I figured it was best to let you explain to them." He finished his explanation only looking at me.

"Wait?" said Remus, with a huge smile on his face, "You were hiding? From us? Weren't you?" The other two Marauder's started laughing too.

"Of course not." James said, still looking at his plate.

"Nevermind that now. Lily says you two were just talking, is this true?" asked Sirius composing himself.

"Yes. It's true." said James finally looking up.

I couldn't help it, "Ha!" I exclaimed. All of my friends looked at me weird and James friends looked like I had positively lost it.

"Tough luck, mate." stage whispered Sirius. I glared at him for that.

"So, N.E.W.T's are this year what classes are you all taking?" asked Remus breaking in before I could yell at Sirius. I pulled my murderous eyes off Sirius and onto Remus.

"Potions, Transfiguration, Charms, Astronomy, and Care of Magical Creatures." I said.

"Really? Care of Magical Creatures? Why on earth are you still taking that?" asked Anna.

I looked sheepish but still replied "Animals have always fascinated me. And magical animals are even cooler." With that James started to laugh. I glared at him.

"She's got a point you know." He said when he could finally breathe. The rest of breakfast was rather uneventful. Although I did take note that for the first time ever me and my friends seemed to be able too actually have a civil conversation with the Marauders.


	6. Chapter 6: Potions

We all left for our different classes at the same time. "See you at lunch." I called to Anna and Alice.

"I will be counting the minutes." Joked Sirius. We all laughed.

"The day will be so long without you." Anna threw back. And with that I headed towards the dungeons. Along the way I ran into one of my other friends and stopped to catch up, that being said I got to class with barely five minutes to spare.

I walked into the dungeons and did what I had done two times now I stood by the door having no clue where to sit. The other two times were the day after Severous and I had our row and I realized that I could no longer sit by him and then last year when the one friend that I had left in the class, Anna, had decided to drop the class. Now I stood there wondering where to sit when I saw the mop of messy black hair at the back of the classroom. Even with his head down I still automatically recognized James and to my shock he didn't have anyone sitting by him.

I walked over to him and sat down. What we were friends now right? He didn't look up from the piece of parchment that he was studying until I spoke. "I didn't know you were taking potions. You could have said something."

He head snapped up to attention. He looked over at me his eyes growing to the size of basketballs. "Lily? Hi! Yeah well I wanted to surprise you. I wasn't sure how you would react to me being in the same class as you." He explained.

"Why would I act bad? We're friends now right?" I asked almost giving a wink.

"Right, of course. I just wanted to make sure that you were ok with it before telling you about it. Okay that sounded stupid."

I let that pass and looked over at the parchment he had been staring at it was now mysteriously empty I could have sworn that there had been writing on it a couple of seconds ago. I shook it off sure I was just seeing things.

"You know I would have thought that you of all people would have dropped this class ages ago." I said trying to strike up conversation.

I heard him start to reply, but I didn't catch anything he said because it was at that moment that I saw the pair of black eyes glaring at me. Severous wasn't really glaring at me he was throwing daggers at James. I glared back at him until his eyes finally shifted back to me. He raised his eyebrow as if asking a question,I knew what the question was. "You and Potter? Friends?" I nodded slightly, he pretended to throw up and shook his head at me before giving me one last look that clearly said, "You're so dumb."

"Lily?" Asked James, when he spoke I realized that he had stopped talking in the first place and that he had been looking at Severous too.

"What?" I asked a little forcefully.

"You okay?" He asked.

"I'm fine." I shook myself a little before bringing my eyes fully back to James. "I'm sorry, that was rude I asked you a question and then totally zoned out. Tell me again why you are taking potions." I hoped I conveyed my point that I had no interest in talking about Snape.

"Right, well I want to be an Auror after school and potions is one of the requirements."

"An auror?" I was surprised, "Why an auror?"

"Welcome to potion seventh years!" Boomed Professor Slughorn.

"We'll finish this later." I whispered to James before turning my whole body to face the front of the class, and just like that I forgot all of my problems and focused on learning.

"Today we will be making the potion Felix Felisis." Slughorn began. "Or more commonly known as Liquid Luck. You will find the recipe on page 384 of the text book. You may use a partner. Any questions?"

"Sir," I said shooting my hand into the air. "Felix Felisis takes six months to brew."

"Correct Lily!" Boomed Slughorn.

"Teachers pet." Muttered James, I promptly stepped on his foot and was proud to see him wince.

"That's the surprise for this year. We are going to be working on one potion for six months. We will brew others on the side, but Felix will be our main focus. This will teach us to be patient. So today we will just do the first day section of the potion, any other questions."

When nobody else had questions we were set free. "Partner?" I asked James a little anxiously.

"Duh!" he exclaimed. "I'll go get the ingredients." He said standing up.

"I'll set up." I called after him, receiving weird looks from my class mates. I smiled, _that's right,_ I thought, _Lily Evans and James Potter are now friends. Or at least trying to be._ The last part was an after thought.

The cauldron was set up and I was getting ready to light the fire under it when I looked up. I saw two boys walking back towards me. Snape had finally gotten up from his seat and still glaring was heading my way. He froze when he saw James, arms full of ingredients, heading back to his seat. I briefly had called to mind all of the fights the two had gotten into. They had never fought In class, but there was a first time for everything. Luckily I was wrong, Snape did a pivot and headed for the store cabinet.

"Here you go." James said piling everything onto the table.

I shook myself and looked up at him and then at the ingredients. "You actually know how to follow instructions." I said upon seeing that he got everything on the list.

"Sometimes." He said. With that I started reading the instructions for the day out loud and he listened.

Throughout my years at Hogwarts I had now had three potions partners, and although I would never tell him to his face, James was the best. Snape had been a hard worker, but he never really let me do anything he was more like a teacher explaining what he was doing, it helped me learn and made me the potion maker I am today. Anna was the exact opposite she tried to help, but after blowing up one too many potions she sat back and tried to learn from me. James pulled his own weight he would see what I was working on and would start in on the next step. As I left class I was amazed at how well we had worked together. Who would have known?

"I'll see you at lunch." He had said and then he ran off to catch up with his friends. I saw them all talking immediately as he arrived and for the first time I realized that I didn't really know them at all. I had always thought of them as the Maurader's, in my mind James was the leader because he had always been the one to go out of his way to get on my nerves and Serious was his lacky, Remus just went along trying to tame down the ideas, and Peter just really wanted friends. That's how I always saw them, but looking at them now from a far I realized I was wrong. They all seemed to be equals. They all got a chance to talk and say what they had on their minds. It was mindblowing to think that I had been wrong about them this whole time.


	7. Chapter 7: What it means to be friends

Chapter 7

My next couple of classes seemed to be just like all of the other years that I had taken them. Alice was in one of my classes that day and she stuck to me like glue which I was thankful for because I really loved having my friends around. James and his friends were also in that class and although they did acknowledge us they mostly kept to themselves.

"What do you make of that?" asked Alice after Serious had politely said hi to both of us. We were in charms my least favorite class for the year.

"I think that it's about time we all got along." I said. This was the thought that had followed my previous thoughts about how I didn't know them. I had realized that it wouldn't kill me to get to know them.

"So it's true then? You and Potter are actually trying to be friends?" she asked staring down at the pencil she was supposed to be making write for her.

"Well it's not going to be easy but we are both head students and we can't have the head students hating each other now can we?" I said glaring at my quill, it hadn't moved once since we had started the exercise.

I heard laughter across the room at that moment and looked up to see James, Serious, and Remus all laughing as James's quill wrote something across his paper. I rolled my eyes and again concentrated on the quill.

"Move." I muttered thinking the incantation in my head. "Come on move!" Nothing happened.

"Need some help?" Asked a voice behind me, I recognized it immediately and had to stop myself from telling him to buzz off.

"No thanks I can do it myself." I said not even turning to look at him.

"No offense Lily, but the class is almost over and your quill hasn't done anything but lie there. If you want the points I think you need all the help you can get."

"Well Master of Charms what do you propose I do?" I said turning towards him to see him smiling at the easy banter.

"Master of Charms? I do like that." He said. "Okay, first off you need to concentrate on the task at hand you have to put everything else out of your mind."

"I have been." I have to admit that I was a little surprise that he had quickly turned back to work after making his first irritating comment.

"I mean you have to think of nothing else. It's hard but it has to be done. I think that most wizards and witches have to learn this task or else they wouldn't be able to do anything while they were in a fight, but I digress, Lily I want you to close your eyes and empty your mind. I don't want you to even think about the fact that I am behind you or that Alice is sitting by you. Do it now!"

I stared down at the quill and tried to think about nothing but the quill. Potter must think he's so smart. I thought to myself, no I wasn't supposed to be thinking about James. The whole class has been able to move their quills why not me? No I wasn't supposed to be thinking about that either. I stared at the quill and this time I thought of nothing but the quill after several minutes of nothing but staring at it I slowly rose my wand. After staring at the quill again for a couple of minutes I only let one other thought enter my mind, the incantation. To my great surprise the quill slowly stood up and tried to take one feeble step forward before it fell back to the desk.

"Well done, Lily!" Boomed James. I jumped having totally forgotten that he was behind me.

"It didn't write anything." I replied.

"That's because even if you didn't think you thought of anything else you did think of something else, you were surprised that it stood up, so it didn't know what you wanted it to do. You have to realize that when it comes to charms you are in charge of the spell it can't take life on it's own."

I looked up at James and was surprised how much like a professor he did sound like. I smiled, "Well Professor Potter I guess I need more practice on being in charge."

"And that's why its a good thing you are head girl." He replied without missing a beat.

"And that you two are friends now, maybe you could tutor her at Charms and she could tutor you in potions or something." Alice said smiling like an idiot. If my friends liked the idea of me ending up with James at all that was probably because she started the idea in their heads that it wouldn't be a bad thing.

I laughed trying to make James think that it was a stupid idea. I may not have been good at taking control of things but I also didn't like to ask for help. It made me look weak, and I was already kind of weak because I was muggle-born. Class ended soon after and we all went a separate ways.

"First day of school and I already have three assignments due by the end of the week and I have Head Girl duties, whatever happened to trying to coax us back into the school work easily?"

"When was that again?" asked Anna.

"I don't know like first year." I said laughing briefly still writing down all of the assignments that my teachers had assigned throughout the day before I could forget what I had due and when.

"Prongs! I found our study group." Sirius called from right behind me. All three of us girls looked up to see him staring at us. "You guys didn't save us a seat at dinner. I was really hurt. Wasn't I James?"

"Oh yes he was devastated, could barely eat anything." said James appearing behind him.

"I am sure. Hey where are you going?" Anna asked as I finished writing down my assignments and stood up with a big stretch.

"Head duties." I replied walking over to James.

"humph...all my friends are leaving me." Sirius moaned dropping next to Anna.

"Yeah, where is Remus?" I asked looking around. He was definitely nowhere in sight.

"He walked a homesick first year up to the hospital wing. He should be back soon." said James. "Should we go?" With that he gestured to the door.

We both headed toward the portrait hole together. Once outside of the common room James looked to me. At first I didn't understand why and then I remembered, I was the one that had been a prefect before I was supposed to know how to do patrols. "Right, well pretty much we just wander the corridors looking for troublemakers." I said. "We can either do it separately or we can do it together. Either way if a teacher sees us we have to be doing something."

"Well since it is the first patrol and we haven't really shown how strong we are as the new Heads I think that it's better if we stick together. Don't you?" He had a pretty good argument. And Remus and I had always patrolled together when we were prefects.

"Sure." I said and with that we headed off with no destination really in mind.

"Lily, can I ask you something?" He asked me after a couple of minutes of silence.

"Of course." I replied.

"Will you tutor me in Potions?"

That took me aback. "But you were so good at potions today." I pointed out.

"Thanks but today was really easy and everything that we have done before something had to seep in eventually. I really don't think that I will be able to keep up and pass the class if I don't get some help. I could even pay you." He explained.

I didn't know much about the wizarding world but the more time that I spent around the infamous James Potter I had learned that his family had enough money to spare. "I don't want your money." I whispered.

"No? Well then maybe I can help you with something. Take over some more patrols, something?"

"Charms." I said after thinking about it. Sure it was embarrassing to ask for help, but here was James Potter asking for help so why couldn't I ask for help back. "I'm terrible at it and you seem to really know what you are doing in that class. You could help me with that." I said.

"Sounds like a plan to me. I tutor you in Charms and you tutor me in Potions and somewhere we'll find time to study for our other N.E.W.T's and be head boy and girl. Wow this year is going to be crazy!"

I laughed. "I don't even think we know the fullness of what is expected of us this year."

"You, my friend take the fun out of everything." He teased.

"So tell me James, why do you want to be an auror?" I asked completely changing the subject.

He was quiet for a couple of minutes and then he spoke. "I think that Voldemort needs to be stopped. It's not right what he doing out there in the world. He just walks around and kills whoever he wants to and people just let him get away with it because he has followers and more power. It's not right and it's not fair. Especially for the muggles who don't even know what's going on in our world, and they are still being killed. And what do the wizards do about it? Nothing they are all too scared that they will be next, that their families will be next. All of them, but the aurors. That's what I want to do I want to stand up for the people that can't stand up for themselves." He had kept talking and I had stopped walking. Finally he noticed that I wasn't standing next to him and turned to look at me. "What?" I stared at him. (If I was asked when I first started to fall for James Potter I could never pinpoint a specific moment. It wasn't one big moment it was a lot of little things that made up the whole. And even though I didn't know it at the time this was one of those moments.)

I said the first thing that came to my mind, "But you're a pureblood."

I had never seen James get to angry he spun on his heel and stormed back to me suddenly he was very close to me and he was growling at me. "Just because my whole family have been wizards and witches that doesn't mean anything. Some might say that muggle-borns are the way of the future, and I look at all of the muggle-borns that I know and I say they are right. But besides that muggles are geniuses they go about their daily lives and they don't have magic, but they find their own little ways to make do with what they have. They are amazing!"

"You like muggles?" I asked slightly surprised. I had known plenty of muggles and plenty of wizards and most of the wizards didn't like the muggles heck I have lived with muggles most of my life and I wasn't too fond of them either.

"Of course I do. They are human too you know?"

"You are a surprising person, James Potter did you know that?" I asked. Starting to walk again.

"No, nobody has called me that before. I think I like it. Maybe I should try to be more surprising."

"Keep everybody on their toes." I agreed nodding.

"What about you? What do you want to be when you grow up?"

I laughed. "My mind has changed so many times since I came to Hogwarts. I think right now I'm kind of focusing on becoming a teacher, but honestly I think that I could be swayed to do any number of occupations. The whole wizarding world is just so interesting." I replied.

"You could be swayed? So tell me has my little rant just swayed to maybe thinking about becoming an auror?" I could tell he was just joking, but it was weird I had never thought about being an auror before, always thinking that I wasn't brave enough but now that he mentioned it I could picture it. Me and James standing up against death eaters. Standing up back to back, taking on the world.

"It could happen." I said after thinking about it for a bit.

"I will work on that then." He replied with a smile.

"I'm sure you will."

"Well I have to be productive somehow."

"Right because you aren't putting all of your energy into asking me out anymore, right?" I asked with a laugh.

"That's one reason." Then after a couple minutes of silence, "Hey are you hungry?" When he looked at me I saw the old trace of mischief in his eyes.

"Not really, why?" I asked.

"I'm starving I was thinking we could head down to the kitchens and maybe get something to eat."

"Isn't that like against the rules?" I asked. Now that he mentioned it I was hungry and having never been to the kitchens before I was intrigued.

"Have you ever heard Dumbledore announce that the kitchens are out of bounds during the start of term feast? No I don't think it's against the rules I just think that not a lot of people know where they are so not a lot of people go there."

I looked down at my watch and saw that our time patrolling the corridors was almost over and he did make a good point. I had never heard Dumbledore forbid anybody from going to the kitchens. It would be a new adventure. Suddenly it was an adventure that I wanted to have. "Fine, let's go. Just keep an lookout for trouble makers on our way there."

"Yes ma'am." He said offering me a wink.


	8. Chapter 8: The Kitchen and Feelings

Chapter 8

The rest of the night was a lot of fun. All the way down to the kitchens we were just talking it didn't even really matter what we were talking about but it was still a lot of fun and we were laughing most of the time. Once we were in the kitchens I was shocked to see how many house elves really ran the school. I had known about them for ages having done all of the research on Hogwarts that I could when I first got here but having never really seen any of them throughout the school before I had never really thought about how many there were. And they were all so helpful! Did I mention that they all seemed to know James?

"Master James, Master James, we was wondering when we would see you again Master James." one of them said in a squeaky voice running towards us holding a pot of what looked like coffee, but as he got closer I smelt the chocolate and realized it was hot chocolate.

"Yes, sorry Nosey me and the others have been meaning to make a trip down but today has been so busy, you know first day of school and all." He said with a smile. "I see you remembered my favorite drink."

"For you and your date, sir." Said Nosey. I glared at James and got ready to tell the elf he was wrong and then tell off James, but before I could say anything James went bright red and hurried to speak

"Not my date, Nosey. She is just my friend." Then it almost looked like he winced.

"My apologies, sir ma'am." And with that Nosey passed us the hot chocolate and scurried off.

"So bring many dates down here do you?" I asked trying my hardest to sound like I was just teasing him.

"A couple of times, but that was like last year. I have changed since then." He said going red. "I promise that I didn't even think about it like that when I said we should head down here today. I am just really hungry!" He tried his best to explain. Too my deepest surprise I actually started to laugh. "What?" He asked almost angrily.

"James, it's okay that you have brought other girls down here I know that we are just friends. I was just giving you a hard time." What surprised me more than my laughing was how much that sounded like the truth. It had happened James Potter and Lily Evans had become friends… in one day. My parents were going to have a field day.

After that night James, Sirius, Remus, Peter, Anna, Alice and I all fell into a comfortable rythmn. We would all sit together at every meal and talk about classes or more often than not not talk about classes at all. During the classes that we shared we all sat rather close to each other and talked all way up until the professor would call the class to order. We all would grab the biggest table in the common room after classes were over for the day and try our hardest to work on the homework from our classes. I personally liked the nights that James and I had to patrol the corridors the best. It gave us more time to work on our friendship so that it didn't seem so forced around other people. But after that first night we had to come up with a schedule that would fit with the prefects.

Everything was going perfectly when James sprung it on me, "Quidditch?" I asked walking next to him on the way to potions.

"Yes, you know the game that has three different kinds of balls and three post on either side of the field usually held on the weekend." He was being a smart aleck and I hit him for it.

"I know what it is. I just didn't realize that you were still the Gryffindor captain." I explained.

"Come on, Lily we won every match last year you really thought they were going to take that away from me just because I got made Head Boy?"

I didn't have anything to say to that mostly because I did kind of think that because he was made Head Boy he wouldn't be the quidditch captain anymore. I had thought that he would have to concentrate on being a Head Boy I mean I knew that it was stressing me out.

"Lily, come on practice will only be once a week, three tops." He said.

"Three?" I asked. "Why can't you have practice during lunch or something?"

"We are athletes we need to eat."

"So you expect me to patrol the corridors alone?" I asked he was really starting to irritate me.

"No, of course not. We aren't the only ones that are supposed to be out there patrolling the corridors. I'm just saying that you and I need to sit down and discuss schedules and the nights that we are patrolling I won't have practices, ok?" And there it was again, James Potter being all grown up and thinking straight.

By this time we had reached potions so luckily he wasn't able to see me looking at him in awe.

"I just don't get it. Last year they were all so immature and now suddenly they are acting like they are almost grown up. Well except Sirius I don't think that boy will ever change." said Anna. Us three girls actually had a moment to ourselves and the first thing that they both wanted to discuss was the boys.

"I don't know if the world could handle a grown up Sirius." replied Alice looking at us over the top of a letter that she had just gotten from her boyfriend. Frank Longbottom had graduated last year and he and Alice had only been dating about a year when he left. They decided that they were going to somehow make it work and I had full faith that they would probably get married and have a kid, maybe two.

"Yeah," I said. "It would ruin the natural balance of things." I joked starting to doodle to give my hands something to do.

"Enough about them growing up. Lily has some stuff that she needs to tell us." said Anna. My quill dropped. I hadn't told Anna that I had to tell them anything. I didn't have anything to tell them. What the heck was she talking about?

"What's up Lily?" asked Alice finally putting down her letter.

"Nothing." I said shrugging and picking back up my quill.

"As if? Nothing? Who do you take us for?" asked Anna.

I glared at her. "I don't know what you are talking about I don't have anything to tell you guys that you don't already know."

"You and James!" she almost shouted.

"What about us?" I asked.

"Oh so you're an us now?"

"No, I mean we're friends but that's it. That's all we'll ever be. Unless you count us tutoring each other, but I mean really friends tutor each other all of the time."

"Oh come off it. You two spend so much time together every day… alone. And you expect us to believe that you haven't started to have feelings for him?" She tutted.

"I don't have any weird feelings towards James Potter." But I think that's what did it really she got me thinking. At one point in time I might have called James my enemy not because he was ever mean to me but because he picked on my best friend and the enemy of my friend was my enemy. Then Severus turned against me and for a while after that I ignored James. Slowly I started to realize that James wasn't my enemy and I wasn't sure if he ever had been. Then this year we got made Head Boy and Head Girl together and we had become friends. But sometimes I did notice things that friends didn't really notice about friends unless they had known them for a very long time. Like how he ran his hands through his hair when he was nervous, or scared, or mad. Or how his hazel eyes changed depending on what mood he was in. Or how his voice seemed to change when he talked about his mother. I had truly been in awe when I had rounded the corner on the second day of school to find him comforting a first year. But was I falling for the boy? No, I didn't believe that I was.

Anna and Alice both gave me a knowing look but decided to change the subject anyway. I hated it when they acted like they knew me better than I knew myself.


	9. Chapter 9: Animagi

Chapter 9:

"But I don't understand, you don't have quidditch practice tonight we set up the schedule specifically so that I wouldn't have to patrol alone, where are you going?" I asked Saturday when James had caught up to me by the lake. The summer was slowly turning into fall and I just loved the feel of the coolness in the air, like everything was changing.

"I told you I'm not feeling too good and I think I just need a night to sleep and see if I feel better in the morning." He was lying to me.

"Fine don't tell me what is going on. It's not like we're friends or anything! Don't come tonight I can patrol the corridors by myself at least once." And with that I purposefully picked back up my book and made a point to ignore him. I did see him throw his hands up in the air in annoyance and mouth women as he turned and walked away. "Men." I whispered after he had gone a couple of feet.

I was still pretty upset later that night when I was out patrolling so after a quick round I returned to the common room and face planted onto the sofa. The common room was empty and I had half a mind to just curl up and sleep there for the night when I heard a creak from the boys staircase. I pressed further into the cushions not wanting anybody to see me because I knew that I was supposed to still be out in the corridors.

"Shh… Wormtail." came a voice that I was now too familiar with.

"Oh come off it James, everybody's gone to sleep ages ago." said Sirius. I managed to raise my head just an inch to see what they were doing and to my surprise I saw nothing.

"Not everybody. Lily could be returning from patrols any minute." That was James's voice.

"Not likely it usually takes the two of you two hours to patrol." And with that the portrait hole swung open. It took me only a minute after they had left to make up my mind to follow them. I personally blame James for being such a bad influence on me, now I was sneaking out after hours and spying,

I had to run to catch up which was hard to do with them still be invisible. "Shh.. did you hear that?" That voice belonged to Peter, it was also my sign that i had caught up. Quickly I ran behind a statue incase they decided to turn around.

"I told you that we should have brought the map." hissed James.

"You two are becoming paranoid. There is nobody behind us. They are all too afraid of getting caught by the Head Boy and Head Girl. Now come on the moon is almost up."

I froze at that and started connecting dots. Remus and I had been prefects together and had become best friends two years ago as a side effect of that. He had trusted me enough to tell me his secret. I knew perfectly well that Remus Lupin was a werewolf. Remembering this and turning quickly to look out the window to see the full moon making it's way to the center of the sky I suddenly understood where the three Gryffindors were going. They were going to meet Remus.

"Stop!" I cried out coming around the corner I knew that they had just turned. "I know you are there." Still they didn't answer. "If you don't show yourself I will take this straight to the head master. I swear I will… James."

"Crap." whispered Sirius as James ripped off what looked like an invisibility cloak, but I couldn't think about that right now.

"You guys go. I will catch you up." said James. Sirius didn't have to be told twice and with that him and Peter ran for it.

"Stop!" I cried again.

"Lily let them go. They have somewhere they have to be."

"It's too dangerous James they could get hurt." That took him off guard.

"How would you know what they are doing is dangerous?" He started walking towards me.

Here was the boy that I had been friends with for a month now and suddenly I was too afraid to talk to him. "T...they...they are going to see Remus aren't they?"

"What do you know about Remus?"

"H...he's...he's a werewolf." I whispered by this point James was really close to me.

"How could you possibly know that?" He asked.

"He told me ages a...ago."

"So Remus is a werewolf and you think that us going to see him during his monthly transformation is dangerous."

"It is! He's not himself he could hurt you. He could kill you!"

James was smiling now his knowing smile was a lot like Anna and Alice's knowing smile. "What?" I exclaimed.

"You're scared for me. You don't want me to die. It's really sweet to see how much you care."

I didn't even stop. "You're my best friends of course I care. Having one best friend kill the other best friend is not on my agenda for my last year at Hogwarts thank you very much." It was my turn to be taken up short and this time at my own words. I had just called the Mauraders my best friends and now that I had said it I realized that it was true.

"Look, Remus will only hurt humans." James said softer. "So we will be fine."

"What?" I asked.

"He won't hurt us because we won't be humans."

"What?"

"We are going to change into animals."

"What?"

"We are anamagi."

"That isn't something you can just joke about." I said.

"I'm not joking Lily. When the boys and I found out about Remus's problem we wondered if there was a way that he wouldn't feel so alone, such like an outcast. I don't think that any of us have ever spent that much time in the library. Sirius was actually the one to figure it out. And of course after we had the idea we had to figure out how to do it. I mean it is a bit a really hard magic, and Remus wouldn't help us, but we tried and we tried and we tried and finally in fifth year we achieved it. We can turn into animals Lily." James explained the whole time I was shaking my head.

"You're crazy." I said.

"But?" He asked.

"But that is kind of sweet. Can I see?" The question kind of just blurted out I hadn't planned to say it.

He smiled. "Well Miss Head Girl will we get in trouble wandering the grounds after curfew? I did after all send my invisibility cloak with the boys."

"I think we can pull a couple of strings." I said. With that he took my hand and lead me to the grounds. I was nervous wandering the castle after hours was one thing wandering the grounds was completely different, besides I knew that there was a werewolf out tonight. After telling me to stay on the top step James ran down the stairs. I am not really sure when it happened but one second he was human the next he was a beautiful white stag. I honestly can't say how long I sat there, but I watched as James ran across the grounds and then I waited until a couple minutes later I saw a dog running with the stag. Of course Padfoot, so Sirius would be the dog. Wormtail? I thought to myself and a second later I caught sight of a rat, Peter. Prongs of course now made sense too because James was a stag and Moony had always made sense to me. I didn't see Remus tonight though sure that he was probably too afraid as a wild creature to come too close to the school.


	10. Chapter 10: Hogsmead

Chapter 10: Hogsmead

Time seemed not to exist that night. The four best friends stayed close to the forest line and I knew that that probably wasn't normal and it was probably for my benefit. It was so like James to make it so that I could wet my curiosity. I watched them up until the point when the stag ran back towards the castle and changed back into a man.

"I thought you would have gone to bed ages ago." Was his greeting as he pulled me up and then suddenly into a hug. "Dang, you're cold." I smiled.

"It's not that late."

James rose his eyebrows and nodded towards the sky which to my surprise was turning pink with the first light of dawn.

"Holy crap. When did that happen?"

He just smiled. "Come on let's get you back inside before all of your roommates wonder what happened to you. After all that is how rumors start." He said quoting me from the first day of school. I laughed.

After that night James and my friendship only grew stronger. Where a lot of my friends before hadn't really believed that James and I were friends now there was no more denying it. We told each other everything. Now that I knew he didn't have any secrets from me I didn't see how I could have any secrets from him. It even got to the point where we could read each other just by looking at each other. We were almost down right inseparable.

So it was on a rare occasion when he wasn't actually by my side that Professor McGonagall stopped me in the hallway about two and a half months into the school year. "Ah, Miss Evans. May I have a word?"

Anna and Alice both walked away quickly laughing about how I was in trouble. "Of course, Professor."

"Me and the other professors were wondering if you and Mr. Potter had picked a date, for the first Hogsmead trip." She said without wasting a second.

"Oh. No we haven't gotten around to it quite yet. There has just been so much things to take care of. But I will talk to James tonight and we will definitely pick out a day."

"Good. All of the students are starting to get antsy and would love a weekend to themselves. Let me know by tomorrow." And with that she walked away. "Mr. Potter." She said. My head shot up and there was James running towards me.

"I thought that you were in trouble for something." He said skidding to a halt right in front of me.

"Why would I be in trouble?" I asked starting to walk towards our next class. He followed.

"Well you have been hanging out with me lately. You haven't exactly broken any of the rules, but you haven't exactly been avoiding that line as much as you used to."

"I'm not in trouble." I said. "And if I were I would just blame you." I nudged him.

He laughed. "Right right, so if you're not in trouble then what did Minnie want?"

"She wants us to pick out a day for the first Hogsmead trip. I think she's getting sick of having the halls full of students every weekend."

"Oh come on Lil you should know by now that if Minnie got irritated with the students enough she could transfigure us into tea cups and then change us back and we would never know." I laughed. It was so something that James would say.

"And Dumbledore would just go around filling us all up with tea and taking a sip from each one." I added.

James put on his best headmaster voice. "No, no, no this one is too sour...hmm must be a Slytherin." I was still laughing from that when we arrived at Charms. "But seriously I think that a Hogsmead trip is long overdue. We should make one for next weekend." He said after we had taken our seats with the rest of our friends.

"Hogsmead?" asked Sirius leaning in and trying to become part of our conversation.

"Yes, Sirius, the all wizard town down the lane." replied Anna.

"I know what Hogsmead is." said Sirius swatting at her head.

"Then why did you ask it like that?" They continued to bicker as I turned back to James.

"Next weekend sounds like a good idea, but we need to make sure that there isn't anything going on next week. No quidditch games or tests or anything. I'll check the schedule that Dumbledore gave us and then we can tell McGonagall."

And just like that James and I were on our way to planning the first Hogsmead trip. Everything worked out for the next weekend and soon they were announcing it around the school. After much pretend debate the seven of us decided to go together. As James put it it would be our first Hogsmead trip as actual friends. And as I put it it would be the first Hogsmead trip where I would actually let James follow me around instead of getting mad at him for following me around.

"We are going to drive Madame Rosmerta up the wall." said Alice the morning before the trip. She was looking up into the owls to see if her barn owl was flying through the windows. She had sent a letter to Frank as soon as she had found out about Hogsmead and was looking everyday to see if he wrote back to tell her he would be there. I knew that it was unlikely because he was a full fledged auror now and he had much more to do then to go see his girlfriend on weekends, but I would have never told her that to her face.

"Not a chance." said Sirius. "Rosmerta loves us. Always gives us extra butterbeer."

"She just feels bad for you Sirius because you're pretty much an orphan." replied Remus not even looking up from his text book. He caught the roll that Sirius threw at him without even looking.

"We need a game plan." said James, he hadn't been participating in the conversation this far because as he had said as we walked into the Great Hall he was starving, but now that his plate was empty he seemed ready to talk.

"Here's an idea. How about we go to Hogsmead?" I said making sure that I had a dramatic pause before I finished.

James glared at me. "That isn't funny Evans." He said reverting to my last name to show me that he wasn't happy.

"Come on Potter why do we really need a game plan. It's not like we are going to follow it anyway." I said.

"Look you're new to this. But Lily we always stick to our Hogsmead game plans. Especially the first one of the year." said Sirius taking a big bite of a sausage midsentence.

"That doesn't sound remotely fun." Anna replied. Lately I had noticed that she tried to always answer Sirius when he talked.

"Oh, but we only plan for the fun stuff." He said with a wink. I would not let that go later I decided.

"Fine, you guys make a plan. I'm going to head off to class and maybe get some homework done before tomorrow." I said standing up. I started to walk off when I heard somebody stand up behind me.

"Come on Lily, planning the trip is almost as fun as going on the trip." James said grabbing my arm as I reached the hallway.

"I wouldn't want to take that away from you then." I replied shaking him off.

"Lil." He said.

"James, we're friends now so I think its time for me to tell you, I'm not good at planning anything except study sessions and not even that. Really I would be more of a hinderance. You guys go ahead and plan and I am sure whatever you come up with will be fine." I said with a sincere smile.

He looked into my eyes to make sure that I was telling the truth and then he nodded. "Of course. You just wait Miss Evans you will have so much fun tomorrow you will wonder why you never went with us to Hogsmead before." I rolled my eyes and we kept walking towards class.

"Remind me why we are up so early again." I said fighting back a yawn.

"The boys wanted us to get an early start." Anna could only shrug. All of us girls were awake and sitting in the common room waiting for the boys to come down.

"I doubt The Three Broomsticks would even be open yet." I said. Alice just sat there looking like she was sick to her stomach. She still hadn't received a returning letter from Frank and although that didn't mean that he wasn't coming it also didn't mean that he was and on top of that it didn't mean that he was safe either. Normally I would have tried to comfort her, but that's all that me and Anna had been doing for the last couple of days and no matter what we said she wouldn't listen to us.

Bang! A door up the boys staircase crashed open and Sirius came running down like his life depended on him making it down the stairs.

"Sirius!" screamed James who was just coming into view. His hair was a sick pea green color. "You fix it right now! Fix it right now!" All of us girls were now fully awake and we were laughing our heads off.

"James, I told you I could fix it." Remus said slowly trodding down the stairs. Peter was right behind him looking a little intimidated.

"I know you could. I know I could. Heck any one of the girls could fix it. That's not the point. I want him to fix it! He ruined it and I want him to fix my perfect hair!"

"You deserve it. You made all of my clothes disappear last night." At that another round of giggles kicked in. "It isn't funny." They both shouted.

"Boys." I said catching my breath. "Play nice. Apologize to each other and Sirius fix his hair unless you want to match him at Hogsmead today." I could barely get it all out before I broke down laughing again. All the same I pulled out my wand to show that I meant business. "Now!"

"I'm sorry that I used an invisible curse on you clothes last night." James said bowing his head.

"And I'm sorry that I turned you hair green." said Sirius pulling out his own wand and changing James's hair to...purple.

"Sirius!" I said trying to stop another bout of laughter.

"Fine." he said finally changing James's hair back to black. James quickly ran to a window to make sure that it was really back to normal. "Yay, I'm handsome again!"

"That's one persons opinion." I said without even thinking.

James didn't seem phased. "Let's go eat." He declared. Not for the first time I was thankful that James and I now had such an easy going relationship.

It wasn't long before we were in Hogsmead. I was starting to understand why we had woken up so early. We had just finished eating when the other students started showing up for breakfast. It was also at that time that McGonagall started standing by the entrance to the school checking permission slips. She had nodded us through, but not before saying, "Keep an eye out for Death Eaters." I almost thought she was kidding, but her face was so straight and that helped me to know she was dead serious.

"McGonagall was cheerful this morning." Sirius commented once we entered the outskirts of the little village.

"Death Eaters are no joking matter. Frank says they are recruiting like wildfire. He has told me several times that they will come after me and my friends because we are getting ready to leave Hogwarts and they think we are vulnerable." Alice replied.

"I'm safe." I said to which they all stared. "Voldemort isn't going to want a Mudblood on his side."

"Don't call yourself that! Your blood isn't dirty just because you are muggleborn." growled James.

"All the same Voldemort wouldn't want me." By this time we were walking down mainstreet towards Zonkos.

"I wouldn't bet on that Evans." came a voice from the side of us. There stood Frank Longbottom. Alice squealed and ran to give him a hug and a peck on the cheek. The rest of us gave him hugs or shook hands.

"What were you saying Frank, about Lily?" asked Peter speaking up for the first time when our reunion was taken care of and we were back to heading down the street to the joke shop.

Frank who now had his arm wrapped around Alice looked me right in the eye. "I wouldn't bet that the Dark Lord wouldn't want you. He is getting desperate and as long as he can make you lie about your blood status I don't think that he will care that you are muggleborn. You're smart and clever and a natural born leader I would place my money on you being one of the recruits on the top of his list."

I don't think that James realized that he moved closer to me as if to protect me. I, myself, was dumbfounded. Me, they would try to recruit me? I had never thought about it. For a second the thought "Just say no." from my primary school days ran through my head. I was pretty sure that that concept applied here.

"Guys, you're killing the mood. It's the first Hogsmead weekend we are supposed to be having fun, laughing, and junk. No more talk about Death Eaters. Let's go buy pranks." said James grabbing my hand and dragging me after him.

I didn't think much about James taking my hand anymore. The first couple of time it had startled me and I had almost yanked my hand away but soon I realized it was something he did to give comfort. Our normal friends were also used to it, but now I could hear Frank talking to Alice. "Are those two together?" He was dumbfounded.

"Not really. They are just good friends like really good friends like James is Lily's new best friend. It's different, but I like it." I chose at that moment to clock her out. I didn't have to listen to what other people thought about my relationship with James.

"James I should tell you I've never really seen the point of Zonkos or any joke store for that matter."

"Shh… don't talk like that. I will show you our ways." I laughed. The rest of the day was amazing and probably the funnest that I had had at Hogsmead ever. We went to Zonkos where I was educated on the art of pranks. James even made me buy peruvian darkness powder, just because I was excited about it.

We then went up to the shrieking shack where Frank told us the story of how it became haunted. The other four boys laughed their heads off through the whole thing. I rose my eyebrow at James and he just shook my head and gave me the look that meant he would tell me later.

We were walking back towards the Three Broomsticks when it happened. I was starting to lag behind thanks to the tiredness of waking up early. James, of course had noticed and fell back to walk with me. I was about to ask him about what had been so funny at the Shrieking Shack when up ahead four men dressed in all black robes with their faces covered came around the corner. They probably would have kept moving and left us alone, but they turned at the last minute and saw my red hair.

"Look boys, it's looks like we found ourselves a Mudblood, a couple blood traitors, and oh look an auror in training." said the tallest of the four.

"James, take Lily inside." ordered Frank not missing the fact that James and I had both taken out our wands.

"I'm not going anywhere. Lily, get inside." snarled James.

"Fat chance."

"Looks like you're outnumbered, McNair." Frank said. "Leave now and nobody will get hurt. Stay and you might end up buried in the Forbidden Forest. The choice is yours."

"We're not afraid of a couple of Hogwarts students." said the man to his right.

"Big mistake." I said, my ears still ringing not from the mudblood comment, but from the blood traitor comment. Nobody insulted my friends and got away with it. "Partifitiuos Totalous." I screamed.

"Crucio!" The shortest of the four, a woman by the sound of her voice yelled.

James lunged toward me trying to push me out of the way. There was no need she missed.

"Bellatrix!? I should have known." Sirius said pulling out his wand so that we all had them out now.

Bellatrix was about to reply when the door to the Three Broomsticks banged open, "Unless the four of you want a one way ticket to Azkaban I suggest you leave now." It was Mad-Eye Moody, someone I had only seen in pictures in the Daily Prophet, he was supposed to be the best auror there was.

"This is none of your affair Moody." snarled McNair.

"People who worship the Dark Lord attacking innocent students is exactly in my job description. I'll give you one more chance. One, two, three." and with four pops they were gone. "Frank, I thought I gave you the weekend off." Moody said turning back to us. "Put those away before you take someone's eyes out."

"I do have the weekend off, Moody what are you doing here?" Frank didn't sound happy.

"Manners, Longbottom I am still your superior. Can't I go out and get a drink on the weekend? Hello all, I am Alastor Moody, auror, come have a drink with me won't you. Names as you pass if you don't mind. It's not a request Longbottom."

"Sirius Black,sir."

"Remus Lupin."

"Anna Crast."

"James Potter, nice to see you again, sir." James said shaking Moody's hand.

"Ah, Potter good to see you too. Your dad tells me you want to be an auror. Let's talk about that." James nodded and followed the rest in.

"This is Alice Prewett she's my girlfriend." Frank said leading Alice past.

"Peter Pettigrew." Peter said keeping his head down being the shy boy he always was. I suddenly realized I was last. How did that happen?

"Lily Evans." I said after clearing my throat. I stuck out my hand and Moody shook it glancing me over.

"Ah, you're Miss Evans, I've heard all about you of course. From the professors." He hurried and tack on the last part when I glared towards James who was watching the exchange.

"Thank you, sir. All good things I hope."

"Nothing but good things can be said about Lily Evans, Head girl, brightest witch of her age. I could keep going." He winked as we followed the others into the pub. I blushed.

"Let's get straight to it." Moody said as we all sat down and Rosmerta had taken our order. "What were you planning on doing to those Death Eaters you're all just students, yes including you Longbottom."

"It doesn't matter that we are just students we know enough." said James.

"Yeah, we could have taken them." Sirius said.

"No, you couldn't have Black. You're young, you're inexperienced, and you have never caused any body pain before. But you can be taught." He muttered the last part to himself. He nodded again to himself. "James wants to be an auror what about the rest of ya?"

"Heck yeah!" Sirius said giving James a high five.

"I'm in." said Alice which shocked me, that is until I saw the way she was looking at Frank she would follow him anywhere.

"Not sure about auror, but I do want to help out where I can." Remus said.

"I want to be a healer myself." Anna said.

"Undecided." Peter muttered.

Dang, I was the last again. The only time that I had actually thought about being an auror was when James first told me he was thinking about it, but now I could see it even more. Me and James and Sirius standing side by side fighting the Dark Lord. "Lily wants to be a teacher." James said before I could answer. I glared at him.

"Well after what I just saw I think any of you would make good aurors once you're properly trained. And I don't give compliments often." He grabbed his drink from the tray Rosmerta had just sat down. He drank it in one swallow, threw down several galleons. and stood. "You want a job as an auror come see me after graduation. Nice to meet you all." And with that he was gone.

I focused on my butterbeer as the others started talking about becoming aurors. Could I be an auror? Did I really have what it took? I wasn't so sure anymore.

"Lily, are you okay?" whispered James.

"I'm fine. Just have a lot on my mind."

"Let's go for a walk." James suddenly said grabbing my hand and dragging me towards the door. "We'll be back." He shouted at the others.

"Let go!" I ordered as soon as we were out of the pub, pulling my hand away from him. "What was that all about?" I asked following him as he continued to walk towards the edge of town.

"You tell me. After our talk with Moody you went all quite, why?" He didn't let me answer. "Are you considering being an auror now? Do you realize how dangerous that is?"

"Then why are you joining?!" I snapped even though I knew the answer.

"Because I have to."

"No you don't!" Wow, when did I become worried about James Potter?

I had been following him through the village and up a hill and we now stopped at the shrieking shack. James turned on me. "Yes, I do. You don't understand. My parents have both been aurors for as long as I can remember. I have been introduced to people who are now dead. I have been friends with kids who have lost their parents or are dead themselves. My parents could die any day. And they don't care about themselves they just want to help. I do too. Voldemort needs to pay for what he has done! I want to stop him! Stop him from going after people like you."

"Maybe that's how I feel." I said shocked at his proclamation.

"But you want to be a teacher." He said finding a big rock and sinking down onto it.

I was quite for a couple minutes before walking over and sitting by him. I let my hand drift to his shoulder. "Maybe I can be both."

He just shook his head, but didn't say a word. I didn't say anything either. I realized that this was one of the most real conversations I had ever had with James


	11. Chapter 11: New Years Eve and The Kiss

_Dearest Lily,_

 _I am so happy that Christmas is coming up. We can't wait to see you. I'm sure Petunia has written to tell you that she is now engaged. Vernon purposed to her a couple of weeks after you left for school. We have spent many nights discussing the wedding details and I'm sure you will be getting a letter from Petunia soon, but she has chosen you to be her maid of honor. We understand that you are at school and are very busy, but Petunia does have a second maid of honor, Vernon's sister, Marge. She will help with the things you can't help with. We will be having a party to announce the engagement on New Year's Eve, isn't that a lovely idea? This way you will be able to make it! Petunia will for sure tell you all of the details. I can't wait to see you!_

 _All my love,_

 _Mom_

I put down that letter and picked up the second.

 _Lily,_

 _I don't want you to be my maid of honor, but mum and dad made me. You will be there on New Year's Eve. You will wear gold. You cannot bring anyone. I don't need more freaks there._

 _Petunia_

I set down the last letter and looked down at my oatmeal and hot chocolate and suddenly didn't feel as hungry as I did when I dished it up. I sighed and looked up at the snow speckled ceiling. It was two weeks from Christmas break and my good mood had just dissolved.

"A new year's eve party!" Sirius said sitting down by Anna and taking her hand in one of his and a piece of her bacon with the other. They were now unofficially dating it was unofficial because they both refused to admit it.

"Hey, that's mine!" she scoffed bopping him on the head.

"What about a new year's party?" asked James only acknowledging their show of affection by rolling his eyes at me.

"We have a big group of friends now you really expect us to go two to three weeks without seeing them? No! So we have a party! On New Year's Eve! It will be a blast. You know your parents would love it."

I abruptly stood up. "I forgot something upstairs." was my only explanation. "See you in class." I mumbled walking away. I knew he would follow, I hoped he wouldn't follow, but I knew that he would.

"I'll ask them, Padfoot. Hey Lil, wait up I forgot something too." I didn't wait I just kept walking. I had just made it to the top of the first flight of stairs before he grabbed my arm. "What was in the letter?" When did he get to know me so well? I just handed him the letters. As we walked he read. "Is it mean of me to say that I hate your sister and I don't even know her?" He asked handing them back.

"No way. Anna and Alice started a We Hate Petunia Club first year. But I won't be able to come to any party that night."

"Then we won't have one."

"No, no, I don't want to ruin the fun. You guys have one maybe I'll come by later." But we both knew I wouldn't.

"Lily, please smile. It's your sister's engagement party." My mother whispered we were standing outside my house surrounded by well wishers at Petunia's party.. The break had been bitter sweet. I missed my friends terribly and wrote them everyday. Writing the boys was easy because they were all together so usually I wrote James and gave the others a hello. Alice was harder to get a hold of because she was with Frank. Anna wrote me first thing in the morning and last thing at night. James I am sure would have wrote just as much, but I made the mistake of teaching him how to use a telephone. James and I now talked for hours everyday as well as wrote each other. My parents had been ecstatic when I had introduced them to my new best friend at the train station. I had heard all about how friends become more than friends most of the time all the way home.

Christmas had been amazing, not because spending time with my family, but because of all the presents I got from my friends. Anna had sent me a new muggle book, The Bridge to Terabithia, that she had found while shopping. Alice sent me a diary that wouldn't show the contents to anyone but the author. Peter has sent me chocolate (all my favorites). Remus sent me a new copy of Hogwarts: A History. Sirius had sent me a whip with a note that said, "Best for taking care of Bambi's.". I had laughed so hard knowing he was referring to James. James had sent me a necklace that said " Lily. ", and had a flower at the end that could have only been a lily. I knew he could have only made it himself.

However, almost from the moment that I stepped off the train I had been bombarded with wedding details. It was kind of annoying because I could care less and it was obvious that Petunia didn't want my help. I had suffered through it though. I owed my parents that much. Finally the night of the party had come and besides having been yelled at by my sister about how my dress wasn't right and being looked down on by the Dursleys, it hadn't been that bad. I just wanted to be with my friends.

I looked up to reply to my mother when I saw him. James shook his head telling me not to draw attention to him. " I don't want to be here, mother.". I told the truth out of shock of seeing James.

"I know you would rather be with your friends but this is important to your sister, so please at least pretend you are enjoying yourself.". And with that she walked off. As she left James walked up.

" What...". I started but he cut me off.

"You see that street light outside your front door?"

"Yes." I replied after I spotted it.

"Meet me there when they are all distracted.". He left before I could ask any questions. I was confused, how was I supposed to know that they were all distracted? Just then a large black dog ran past my legs. Sirius, in dog form, started barking and jumping up on people, and just crashing around. It didn't take long before everyone at the party was trying to catch the dog. This was my chance. I slowly walked around the side if the house, down the hill and to the street light where James was waiting just as he promised.

"What's going on? " I asked.

"We're going to a party." He said grabbing my hand and disapperating without another word.

"Not that I am complaining, but I will get in trouble if I'm not there." I said when we arrived. I looked up at the most beautiful mansion I had ever seen still amazingly decorated for Christmas. My mouth fell open. I knew that James's family was rich, but I had never thought much about it before.

"No offense, Lils, but they won't even notice you are gone.". He said while leading me up to the house. "I saw all of those people, your parents will be busy all night. Besides you're the one who said to go ahead and have the party.".

"I meant without me. "

"Not a chance.". He said opening the front door to house. "By the way I like the dress."

I couldn't even roll my eyes because I was bombarded with the sight of a huge entry hall, with wooden floor and a grand staircase right in the center with a Christmas tree right off of it. I was going to comment on the whole scene when, "Lily! You made it!". Anna flung herself at me from one of the side rooms. "They really did it! ". I laughed and hugged her back, looking over her shoulder I saw Remus and Peter.

"I wouldn't be here if we had normal friends."

"James, have all of your friends arrived dear?" said an older lady walking into the room, she had red hair that was going gray in the most beautiful way. And her eyes were hazel just like James's

"Almost we're just waiting for Frank and Alice, oh and Sirius to get back."

"That's good, where did Sirius go?" She had found me and was staring at me, but was too polite to ask who I was. I briefly thought about sitting down to take the attention away from me.

"I sent him on an errand to get more butterbeer.". James said without missing a beat. He caught my arm before I could sit down. "Mom, this is Lily Evans. Lily, this is my mother, Carol Potter." James finally introduced us.

Her eyes lit up, yes she had heard of me. "Nice to finally meet you, Lily. She said coming closer. I thought she was going for a handshake, but I ended up in a hug instead. "Thanks for putting up with my boy." She whispered in my ear.

"No problem. He is a nice kid and a good friend.". I replied.

"I know that's not always the case. He's like his father persistent to the point that it's a flaw.". Neither of us were whispering anymore.

"Now, now let's stop talking about James like he's not here." James said.

His mother laughed. "But you're right he has always been a good friend to everyone. Well I'll leave you guys to your party. See you around midnight." She gave me one last hug before hugging her son one last time and then she left. She hadn't even been gone for even a minute before there was a pop and Sirius appeared.

"That bride-to-be is a lunatic! No offense Lily, but by the time I got to the woods she was ordering them to shoot me! A poor defenseless dog. I mean really who doesn't like dogs?!"

I was just laughing picturing Petunia screaming her head off because a dog was ruining her party.

"You used magic outside of school Sirius?" Anna exclaimed. She was the only one not laughing.

"You really think that would stop him?" Remus said in between breaths. That seemed to be enough for her.

"I would apologize for my sister, but if she knew who you were she wouldn't be apologizing."

"What's so funny?". Alice and Frank had arrived.

The night was one of the best ones of my life. We played all sorts of games. Anything from poker to truth and dare. We talked, we laughed, and we forgot about the world. "Okay, okay, it's Lily's turn. Shut up guys, it's Lily's turn.". Sirius was saying as we were all laughing at James's latest dare. He was now standing on his head and his head was turning beet red.

"Can I come down now?" He asked.

"Fine." Alice, who had made the dare said. James fell over and after several minutes came back and sat by me.

"Okay Lil's, truth or dare?". Sirius was finally able to get out.

"I did a dare last time, so truth." The first couple of rounds of this game had been intimidating. I had been afraid what would happen if I said dare, but at the same time I was afraid of questions I would have to answer if I said truth. Slowly I was reminded these guys were my friends and they cared enough that they wouldn't do anything too embarrassing.

"Who was your first kiss?"

James froze slightly besides me. "Kenny Marvin, primary school during lunch. We were trying to be grown up, but in the end he ran off yelling that I had cooties." I said without having to think about it too much.

"Wow, Evans I always forget that you went to muggle school when you were young." James said.

"Well not everybody was born knowing they had magic." I replied.

"What was that like?" Asked Peter.

"You guys don't want to hear about my boring life at muggle school. Come on this is a party."

"Come on, Lily tell us." Said Remus.

"Yeah tell us." Everyone echoed.

"Fine. It was boring at times, but fun. I had a lot of friends. That is until my magic sank in. It sank in during the summer and I had a lot of fun with it. That's when I first met Snape.". I snarled his name. "Petunia found out and thought I was a freak. She turned my whole school against me in one semester. After that school stunk. I looked forward only to hanging with Snape every afternoon." It was short and sweet and I hoped that they would just drop it.

And they did the only comment was from Sirius who had never learned to keep his mouth shut. "Wow, what a sad life looking forward to hanging out with Snivelous.". And with that James punched him hard in the shoulder.

"Right, so Frank's turn.". Remus said. That was it. We started playing again.

"Happy New Year!". We all screamed and shouted.

"Now you guys better get out, before my dad kicks you out." James joked. Slowly we all filed to the door none of us wanting to leave.

"Thanks for kidnapping me." I said to James. We were walking towards the back so we could talk.

"No problem. Hey if they give you a hard time for disappearing just say you did get kidnapped and had to use your magic to escape.". We had stopped.

Sirius turned probably to ask James something when he gasped. "You two are under the mistletoe!"

"Kiss her!" Anna shouted.

"Wait, what?" I said looking up. They were right, there was the cursed plant hanging above us.

"Come on. It's tradition.". Alice said.

"It doesn't have to mean anything." Frank put in.

I looked back at James who was looking at me. "It's up to you, Lils." He whispered.

"Let's get this over with." I said reaching up and bringing his mouth to mine. That's when my life ended. I had my life flash before my eyes I'm not kidding. I saw mine and James friendship progressing. I remembered all of my thoughts about him, all of my feelings. And I knew… but I pushed them away, because I had to push him away. This was not the time, not with Sirius wolf whistling and Anna sighing. "You happy?" I asked breaking away and turning to our friends.

"Yeah, will you stop harassing us now?" James said not missing a beat.

"That was awesome." Sirius said, slapping James on the back.

"I hate to break up the party, but the house elves need to come out and clean." A deep voice said coming around the corner, there stood a man with black tidy hair and blue eyes that were concealed behind glasses, James's dad it had to be.

"Of course." I ran for it. I said a quick see you later to all of my friends and then left, before my emotions could take over. One spin later and I was home.


	12. Apologizes

Sorry it has taken me so long to post. I forgot my login for this account for a while and just recently remembered it again. I have been posting on another account under the name Angela Glad. There I have been doing one shots about the same characters just in the future. You should check them out. And ow without further adu here's Becoming Lily and James


	13. Chapter 12: Love

Walking in the front door I heard my mother screech. "Lily!" I sighed. Couldn't I just be left alone with my thoughts?

"Yes mum?" I said walking into the kitchen. I was slightly happy that she was alone.

"Where did you disappear to?". She asked.

"Some of my friends stopped by the party and dragged me to another New Year's Eve party. I'm sorry, I should have called."

"You should have stayed. Petunia was worr..."

"No she wasn't. Don't lie! She didn't want me there to begin with!" I never yelled at my mom, never. I just really wanted to be alone.

"Don't talk like that, your sister loves you."

"She doesn't want me to be her maid of honor, you made her. She doesn't even want me at the wedding. I'm a freak to her. I'm sorry I left the party early. I am way tired I'm going to bed, night."

"Wait, Lily! Lily!" My mom started shooting but all I heard was James from the beginning of the year.

"Lily, Lily Evans!" And with that thought it all came crashing down.

"Do you mind everywhere else is full?" I was eleven and I was mad at my only friend. I had found a compartment that only held four boys that all looked to be my age.

"Sure." The sandy blonde hair boy said.

"I'm Lily."

"Hi. I'm James." He had kind eyes that was my first thought of him. I only thought that until he insulted Severus.

"Evans, will you go out with me?" It was now third year and I didn't like him at all. He was the first boy ever to ask me out. My heart jumped and I almost said yes. After that I looked at him differently, why did he ask? Did he really like me? Or was he trying to get on mine and Sev's nerves?

"Leave him ALONE!" I screamed. It was fifth year. James was hanging Severus upside down. I was furious. I repeated myself when James didn't listen. "Leave him alone." we had our normal back and forth. Then Snape called me a Mudblood. James didn't like that. I wondered if that meant he really cared.

"Make that two." I was now remembering meeting him at Diagon Alley at the beginning of the year on accident. I remembered how much fun we had had and how much time had passed without me realizing it. Suddenly the whole year was flashing past my eyes. His throaty laugh, his untidy hair that he ran his hands through when he was nervous, the small smile he had when he talked about his mother, the way he screwed up his face when he was thinking, the light in his eyes when he was with the other Marauders. My thoughts changed from him to me. My heart leaping whenever I saw him, whenever he reached for my hands, the way only he could make me smile, the way only he could make me blush, and all the times he hadn't been there that I wanted him there, and that kiss! The kiss was the last memory that hit me. I had felt like I was flying and falling and living and dying. When I finally came back down to earth I realized three things: first I was lying on my bed with no recollection of making it to my room, two I really needed a pensive, and three I was in love with James Potter and had been working to that since I had first met him

"Well if you're just going to apparate to the train station why don't you just apparate to school?" My mother said she had forgiven me, but she still seemed irritated and it had been a whole week. A week of me hiding in my room and wishing I was at school, at the same time being scared to go back and face James.

"Mother, I ride the train to spend that time with my friends. Please just let me give you the morning off." I didn't feel guilty for having left the engagement party. I felt guilty for yelling at my mother about it.

"I do have a lot to do today." She sighed and stood up. "Fine. Just please remember that I love you." She hugged me.

"Love you too. I'm sorry about New Years."

"Don't worry about it. I understand. Write me when you get to school." she said.

"I will. Love you." I hugged her one last time before I disapperated when I rematerialized I was standing on the crowded platform of 9 ¾. I quickly spun around and saw Anna. I grabbed my luggage and made my way to her.

"Sirius says they are saving us a seat." She said after giving me a hug.

"Great! Where's Alice?"

"With Frank." she nodded behind me, where Alice was indeed with Frank, kissing.

"Of course she is." I said. "She'll find us." Anna nodded and we both made our way onto the train. It wasn't hard to find the boys, they were the loudest.

"No! No! That's not what I said." Sirius was shouting as we slid open the door.

"You don't know what you said, you were half drunk!" Remus shouted back. Peter sat in the corner plugging his ears, and James was nowhere in sight. My heart sank.

"I was not!"

"Hi guys," Anna said marching into the compartment and stopped the argument effectively by kissing Sirius. "Where's James?" she asked when she broke apart from Sirius.

"He's with Sarah Carpenter." Peter piped up. I had sat by him and now I was looking at him curiously.

"What? Why?" asked Anna. Sarah Carpenter was a blonde Ravenclaw in our year.

"See what you did?" asked Sirius who I just noticed had been shaking his head the whole time.

"Sirius?" I said, "Why is James with Sarah?" I didn't even know that they were friends. I knew that as soon as I asked the question that I didn't want to know the answer.

"They are dating now." He said sheepishly.

"What?!" exclaimed Anna.

"Who's dating who?" Alice had just arrived.

"James is dating Sarah Carpenter!" yelled Anna.

"What?" asked Alice. I was now dead inside. "When did this happen?" she asked.

I stood up. "I better go find the prefects, make sure they know their patrol schedule." I said as normal as possible, really I just didn't want to hear it anymore. Stepping out of the compartment right away I ran into James. Thankfully he was alone.

"Lily!" He said happily. "How are you?"

"James. I'm good, just going to find the prefects. I'll be back." I said stepping around him.

"Need help?" he asked.

"No, I'll be fine." I kept walking. Just my luck. I had just realized that I was in love with a guy who had liked me and now he had moved on. James Potter had never had a girlfriend, ever! What had changed?

The rest of the trip I avoided our compartment as much as possible. I had to go back so they wouldn't start asking all of the wrong questions. It was probably the longest train ride I had ever been on. I started wishing I had just apparated to Hogsmead. By the end of the trip I had a plan of action. Forget all of my new feelings for James and still be his friend. I squashed the voice in my head that said our whole friendship was based off of him liking me and me unconsciously like him.

"Lily, are you okay?" James asked coming up behind me as I walked across the platform.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry I just had a lot on my mind today." I said turning a smile on him.

He opened his mouth to reply when. "James! There you are I've been looking everywhere!" Sarah ran up and gave James a tight hug. Then she spotted me. "Hi, Lily." she said it so coldly I almost shivered. Sarah and I never had been friends , but we had been civil to each other in the past. I knew what was different now, it was James. she knew that James used to like me and she didn't want him to realize he still did, if he still did.

"Hello, Sarah." I said just as coldly. "I better go find Anna and Alice. I'll see you later James. Nice to see you again Sarah."

"You need to become friends with Sarah." James said sinking into his seat in potion class two weeks later. During those two weeks James and I had stayed friends and I looked forward to our night patrols because it was the only time I felt like I could be real around him anymore. Whenever Sarah came up to us I always found an excuse to disappear.

"Oh really? Have you told Sarah this?" I asked smiling at him.

He looked away. "Yes, she said she doesn't think that's going to be possible."

I laughed. "I told you James she hates me."

"Hates a strong word. Come on I want one of my friends to like her." He pouted.

Luckily for me class started right then and as we started on our potion I remembered a conversation I had been a part of last night.

"Ok she needs to go." Sirius had exclaimed charging into the common room the night before.

"Who?" asked Anna even though we all knew.

"Sarah. She has James on such a short leash. Whenever I try to talk to him she always talks over me and he acts like he didn't hear a thing I said." He complained.

"Well she won't even let him come near me and Alice." Anna said.

"He missed last night." Remus whispered. All of us girls gasped. While playing truth or dare on New Year's Eve the other girls had found out about the boys furry little secrets.

"She hates me." I said after a moment of silence.

"Well there's a shocker." Sirius said. At the same time that Anna said "Duh!"

"Why is that so shocking?" I asked.

"You're the competition, Lils, she knows it and she's threatened by it." Remus explained.

"I'm not though. James got over me when he started dating her. Besides it's not like I ever felt that way about him." I was still mentally kicking myself. If I hadn't' ran out so fast after our kiss maybe James would have had some hope for us. Maybe he wouldn't have given up on me and at the New Year's party his parents had dragged him to the next day maybe he wouldn't have started flirting with Sarah, maybe they wouldn't be dating.

"But she doesn't know that. Wait there's an idea! Lily if you start heavy flirting with James she might get really jealous and break…"

"What kind of a best friend are you?!" I interjected. "That would hurt James too and I won't do anything that hurts him!" I sprung up and ran to my dorm.

"What's your problem?" Anna asked banging into the dorm sometime later with Alice right behind her. I slowly sat up from where I was lying on my bed. "Ever since we got back from Christmas you have been so jumpy whenever we bring up James. Are you worried about him? Are you jealous because he isn't giving you all of his attention anymore?" She froze when she saw me stiffen.

"Wait, it hasn't been since we got back, it's been since the kiss." Alice said also catching my stiffen. "You ran out right after the kiss."

Anna gasped. "Lily Evans, do you like James Potter?" she asked coming to sit by me. I refused to look at either of them. Anna gasped again. "You do?! When? How? Why?"

"Anna, shut up!" Alice said. "Lily, talk to us we're your best friends. Please."

"I like him okay?! I like him a lot! Maybe even love although I'm not sure I know what love is. When we kissed I realized this has been coming since I first met him. It makes me sick to see him with that...that...that cow! It's my own fault too. I should have realized a while ago. Then maybe he wouldn't be with her."

"Hey, hey now it's fine maybe this won't last long, maybe him liking her is just a phase."

"Lily, Lily! Are you listening to me?" I was pulled back to potions.

"Huh?" I asked.

"Didn't think so. I said I think it's time for another Hogsmead trip." James said adding the next ingredient. We both reached for the spoon and our hands touched. You know in books how they talk about feeling electricity when they touch someone they liked? Well it really happens. I felt it now when I touched James hand. I wondered if he had felt it back when he like me. I quickly pulled away.

"Hogsmead trip? Sounds fun. We should talk to McGonagall about which day would work best."

"Great!"


	14. Chapter 13: Proclamations

McGonagall was very easy to talk into letting us go to Hogsmead. It wasn't long before the whole school was a buzz with the news about another Hogsmead trip. I was so thankful that the boys had decided not to push making a schedule for the day. I was so excited to go to Hogsmead. It gave me something to look forward to. One night shortly before the trip, I was up studying long after everyone had gone to sleep.

"Lily? Want to go to the kitchen?" I heard the voice and knew who it belonged to and I wasn't really surprised until I turned to answer and he wasn't there.

"James?" I asked. His head appeared floating in the air. I screamed.

"Shh…" He said flinging his hand onto my mouth, a hand I couldn't see mind you. He quickly pulled off a cloak looking thing and just like that he was visible again. I suddenly remembered the night that I found out that he was an animagus and how they all had appeared from under an invisibility cloak, something that I hadn't thought much about because of everything else that had happened that night.

"You have an invisibility cloak?" I asked.

"Would you look at that, I guess I do." was his sarcastic reply. "Now come on I'm starving let's go eat." He held out his hand and I ignored it knowing what I would feel by touching his hand. I pulled myself up.

"You think Noisy will have cake for us?" I asked. James and I had visited the kitchens several times after patrols and the house evles had become accustomed to me. James threw the cloak over us after he had stepped so close I felt him brush up against my back. I tried not to flinch, but it was too late. He pretended not to notice.

"You have returned Mr. Potter, Miss Evans. We have missed you." Noisy said running over. "Hot chocolate, yes?"

"Yes." We both said.

"And cake, if you have it." I added.

"Of course, miss."

"That's a handy cloak James, I might have to use it sometime." I joked walking towards our fire place.

"Go a head. I keep it under my pillow. Just make sure to ask and put it back when you are done."

"So, have you brought Sarah down here yet?" I asked coming up with something to talk about.

"No." He said it bluntly like I should have known.

"Why not?" I asked.

"This place is our place now. I would never be able to come down here with you again if I knew I was bringing another girl down here. I would feel guilty."

"You used to bring girls down here all the time." I said accepting my hot chocolate and cake from Noisy.

"Yes, and then I brought my best friend who was a girl here and things changed."

The subject soon changed. I loved this time with him. It was a time when I could pretend that everything was the same.

"Where's James?" I asked. The morning of Hogsmead had arrived. I was excited. I honestly believed that it was going to be just like last time.

"I'm sure he will be there." Was Sirius's vague reply. I didn't pry, i should have but I didn't.

Once we arrived in Hogsmead our group broke up. Alice went to find Frank promising to catch up later. Sirius and Anna went off towards Madame Pettifoots. Peter hadn't come claiming to be sick. Then it was just me and Remus.

"Don't worry Lily, we can still have fun." said Remus. "Come on I'll tell you the real story of the Shrieking Shack." He was right we did have a pleasant time. He told me about the shack, we went shopping at Honeydukes. We were heading into the Three Broomsticks when I finally found James. I started to smile when I saw him kissing Sarah Carpenter. My heart broke. I made a run for it without thinking, but it was too late Remus had also seen James and had called his name. I knew that James had seen my face before I ran.

"Lily?!" I wasn't sure who called my name and I didn't care. I was halfway back to Hogwarts before I realized I was crying. I had held onto the hope that James would get over Sarah and come back to me, but now I knew that that hope was dead. I was in the castle, almost up the first staircase when I heard him. "Lily!" It was James, of course it was, we were still friends after all. He still cared.

I kept running, running faster than I ever had before. "Amerotia." I gasped at the Fat Lady, briefly wondering what I was breathing harder from running or crying. I was opening my dorm room door when I heard the portrait hole open. "Lily!" James screamed. I hid in my dorm for most of the day just sobbing and screaming at anyone that tried to enter.

Some time in the late afternoon I found I couldn't cry anymore. I was now angry although I wasn't sure if I was more mad at James or me. I did know one thing, I was hungry, and I did not want to go to the Great Hall and face him… Oops I guess that's two things. I suddenly remembered the invisibility cloak. He technically had said that I could borrow it although he had told me to ask, I was sure he was busy and I would replace it when I was done.

Quietly I snuck to my door and slowly opened it. Creeping down the stairs I stopped at the last turn and peered around it to make sure nobody was there who actually cared about me. "Crap." I thought to myself, all of my friends sat around by the fire. I stopped only for a second to think about my next move. Seeing James sitting with our friends staring into the fire like nothing happened is what did it. Like the mature Head Girl that I was I promptly dropped down onto my hand and knees. Casting one last glance to make sure none of my friends were watching before scurrying across the floor to the boys dormitory. Without pausing I barged into the seventh years room.

It wasn't hard to tell who slept where. Sirius, who had always embraced his difference from the rest of his family had pictures of muggle girls plastered all over the wall. Remus had books piled high all over his bed and bed stand. Peter had food wrappers all over. James's bed had a little bit of everything I only paused for a second before heading for James's bed and grabbing his pillow. There it was, just like he said it would be, James's invisibility cloak. I froze for a bit a part of me felt like I was stealing from James. I almost turned back around, but the sight of James kissing Sarah and me running away plus my hunger drove me to take the cloak and put it on.

I will tell you right now that I honestly don't remember my walk to the kitchens all I remembered was one thing. As I walked across the common room now completely invisible James looked up upon seeing nothing he looked back down.

"Miss Evans!" squeaked Noisy charging towards me. "You're alone tonight Miss Evans!" Will Mr. Potter be joining you?"

"No , Noisy it's just me. Could I maybe have a butterbeer tonight and a small meal I missed dinner." I am ashamed to say that my voice broke. Noisy nodded and ran of to get me food. Unconsciously I moved over to mine and James's fireplace. I placed the invisibility cloak on the floor and proceeded to sit on it.

I just stared into the fire for sometime trying my hardest not to think. After Noisy finally brought my food I finally started to think… out loud. "What am I doing here?"

"That's what I want to know." I jumped up tipping my butterbeer which proceeded to spill everywhere, but I didn't care because spinning around I came face to face with James Potter.

"James?!" I screeched. "What are you doing here?" I said that a bit more calm.

"I was waiting for you in the common room and I swear I saw a piece of parchment move at first I brushed it off, but then I remembered that you know about my cloak and I thought to myself if I was trying to avoid someone that would be a great way , I've done that myself. My question is why? Why are you avoiding me?" I had turned away by this time and back to the fire.

"Who says it's you I am avoiding?" It was a weak argument and I knew it.

"Let's see, Lils." He said. "You saw me at the Three Broomsticks with my girlfriend and you ran off and haven't talked to anyone since. I think that proves you're avoiding me. Why?"

"You weren't just with your girlfriend." I muttered.

He thought for a minute and then suddenly he was closer. He moved around so that he was facing me and his face had come within inches of mine. "We were kissing. Is that the problem? You didn't like us kissing?" I couldn't think I could barely breathe he was so close, staring directly into my eyes. "Lily? I broke up with Sarah today."

That snapped me back. "What?"

"She kissed me and I realized I didn't like her like that and seeing you looking broken I knew why." He paused and took a deep breath. "Lils, I'm only going to ask one more time and then never again. Will you go out with me?"

"Yes." I didn't even think I just spoke.

"That's what I thought… wait did you just say 'yes'?" He had started to turn away before her realized.

I started to laugh. "Yes, James, yes!"

James picked me straight off the floor and spun me around with a big smile on his face. I laughed the whole time. I felt like I was flying. He brought me back down and kissed me on the forehead. "Well dang." He said pulling away.

"What?" I asked a little worried.

"We aren't going to have another Hogsmead trip for a while. What are we supposed to do for our first date now?"

I laughed. "We'll think of something."

"Next Saturday?" He asked.

"That's so long." I whined.

He laughed. "Patience, my girl, patience."


	15. Chapter 14: And Then Came Death

Chapter 14:

To be completely honest I hated it when me and James weren't together, but with the map it made it a bit easier. That being said I had thought that James and I were close before we started dating. I was wrong. Somehow we were even closer now. We were together constantly the classes what we didn't have together we the only times that we were a part. James would wait for me every morning, the mornings that we didn't fall asleep in the common room the night before, that is. We would walk to breakfast together and then he would walk me to potions. After potions he would walk me to my next class. I didn't know how he did it but before I left that class he was there.

"Afraid, I'm going to run for it first chance I get?". I joked one day when I looked up from my homework and found him staring for the fifth time.

"More like I'll wake up and you'll be back to hating me.". He replied. I knew we were being honest with each other but sometimes he took me by surprise with his complete honesty.

I reached over and took his hand which he quickly kissed like he was trying to make sure it was real. My heart started to race. I loved this feeling. "This is real James. I promise.". He kissed my hand again. I leaned forward begging him with my eyes to believe me. He leaned forward as well. Were we actually going to kiss? I wanted it. I remembered our first kiss on New Year's Eve and I wanted to have that feeling again.

"Mate!". Came Sirius's voice as he and Peter came through the portrait hole.

James swore as he pulled back still holding my hand and looked at his friends. "What? Is it time already?".

Sirius looked back and forth between the two of us and was smiling as he realized what they had just interrupted. I was taking in James's question. I looked to the window and saw the full moon and realized that Remus wasn't with them.

"You have to go.". It wasn't a question. I knew how much these nights met to the four friends.

"Yeah I suppose I do." He said still staring at me. It made me happy that it looked like he didn't want to leave.

"Don't worry I'll be here tomorrow morning. Maybe I'll get some homework done before patrols."

"Patrols? We don't have patrols tonight." He said and I briefly wondered if he actually knew what he was saying. I could tell that he was still thinking about the kiss that almost was.

"Ravenclaw had to cancel. The whole house is coming down with the flu.".

"Will you be okay on your" asked James.

"Come off it. You are coming with us James it was part of the deal for you two dating. Besides Lils is the smartest witch in our year she can take care of herself.". Sirius said winking at me.

James gave no notice he was even paying attention. "I'll be fine.". I said slowly pulling my hand away from his. "Now get going.". I said standing up so I could walk them all out. James finally shook himself and stood.

"I'll see you first thing in the morning.". He said giving me a hug.

"Unless I run for it.". I joked.

"Don't even think about it." And with that they were gone.

"Miss Evans.". Patrols had been particularly dull and I was thinking of cutting them short when the sound of my name made me jump.

I spun to see Professor Dumbledore standing behind me. "I was just coming to the Gryffindor common room to find you.". He said.

"Me? Why?". I suddenly saw the sadness in his eyes and I did not want the answer suddenly.

"I received a letter today from your home town I think you might want to see it." He handed me the letter.

 _Dear Professor Dumbledore,_

 _I wanted to inform you that there was another attack tonight. The attack took place near Spinners End. There were several of your students parents killed both magical and muggles. Below is a list of those killed._

I didn't read the whole list when I saw Spinners End my heart started to race, that's where my family lived and Dumbledore had to be showing me this for a reason.

 _Mister and Missus Evans (muggles)_

"No." I breathed out and then I screamed it. "No!" My world was ending everything was tilting. I felt sick and as if my body was folding in on itself. There was a noise but I couldn't comprehend it.

"Come on Lily, up you get. Let's go to my office. I'll make you some tea.". As Dumbledore said this I realized I was on the ground. And that noise, was my screams. The whole way to Dumbledore's office I had one thought over and over again. "They're gone. They're gone."

Dumbledore sat me down when we got to his office and soon placed a cup in my hand. "Drink." He commanded me.

He didn't say anything and I just kept thinking about my parents. And Petunia… Wait the letter hadn't said anything about Petunia. "What about my sister?". I asked.

Dumbledore seemed startled by my outburst. "I looked into that. It seems she was out with her fiance tonight and missed the attack. She's furious about the whole ordeal.". He seemed confused about that.

"Why them? They were muggles. They didn't know any better. They couldn't protect themselves. They never saw it coming.". I suddenly couldn't stand it. He had gone to far this time. Stinking Voldemort!

"I don't think he was after your parents they just got to close.".

"So it was an accident?!". That didn't make me feel any better.

"Lily, please calm down you're a smart girl you know how he thinks. Please drink some tea.".

I knew what he meant I could probably come up with my answers on my own. I took a sip of tea.

"Now, Lily, I know that it's going to be hard but I need you to be brave. Your head girl people look up to you. I'll be here for you if you need me.". He was suddenly talking fast and I could tell why I was suddenly getting sleepy. "Also, don't be mad at me you needed a sleep."

I woke up and didn't have a clue where I was. "Ah you're awake.". I looked over to see Professor McGonagall. "Dumbledore brought you here last night. I was to take you to your dormitory but it was far too late and I didn't want to wake your roommates. Now up you get.". As she spoke I was replaying the last night. I knew McGonagall wasn't going to be one for moral support. I stood and followed her to Gryffindor tower. "Also given the circumstances Dumbledore has given you leave from your classes today. Only you.". With that she left. I gave the Fat Lady the password and made my way into the common room.

"What do you mean you don't know where she is!?". James was screaming.

"She didn't come up last night! I thought you two had fallen a sleep down here!". Anna replied. They were all there all my friends staring at each other trying to figure out where I had disappeared to.

"Then where is she?!". James was getting worried I could tell.

"Here.". I said. They all turned to me. I briefly wondered how I looked. Terrible was my guess.

"Lils?". James said running to me. "Are you OK?". I just shook my head and sank my head into his chest. There with his arms firmly around me I broke down again.


	16. Chapter 15: What It Means to Be Family

Chapter 15:

I don't know how long I cried for. I don't remember James moving us to the couch or him shooing the rest off to classes. I just know that sometime later when I had cried all I could the common room was empty.

James waited for several minutes before he spoke. "Lils, what happened to you last night?". I took a breath testing myself. "It wasn't that rat Snape was it? Cuz if it was I swear I will hex him clear to next week."

"No." I whispered. "It wasn't Snape."

"Then what was it?". James said pulling my chin up so I was looking him in the eye.

The tears returned but I had to tell him. I had to say something. "He got my parents.". I said before I was gone into sobs again. James stiffened when I finished speaking.

"What? Oh, Lil's. I am so sorry. I am so sorry.". James was a smart boy so he knew there was really nothing he could say. He just kept saying how sorry he was.

"I have no family now.". I said sometime later.

"That's not true!". He almost sounded angry.

I looked up at him again. "James, Petunia hates me and…"

He cut me off. "Not that brat. I'm talking about your real family. I'm talking about us."

My heart skipped a beat. He had just called us a family. "Me, Sirius, Remus, Peter, Anna, and Alice. We're all here for you." Oh, so not just us. Of course not we only started dating, heck we hadn't even been on our first date yet.

es I thought about sending him off to class but the thought of being alone I just couldn't bear. Around the time that students usually started coming back from dinner James took me into his

We didn't really talk the rest of the day. Several tim arms and stood up. I didn't ask any questions and I didn't have to because soon he was carrying me to his dormitory. I knew why he would know I didn't want anyone to see me like this.

"How is she?" It was sometime later and I guessed I had dozed off in his arms. I had never heard Sirius's voice be so calm before.

"Not good. Not that I blame her.". He took a breath. "I want him dead!" He growled. I involuntarily shivered but because I didn't want them to know I was a wake I just moved closer to James like I was cold in my sleep.

"You and most of the wizarding community mate.". Sirius replied. "Just think when we become aurors we'll actually be able to do something about him."

"I never thought I would feel this way about anyone.". I thought James was still talking about Voldemort. "I would do anything for her.". He finished. Me, he was talking about me. I suddenly felt warmer than I had all day.

"I know mate, I know.". And with that the door opened and Sirius left. I waited about five minutes before I pretended to wake up.

"James?" I whispered as groggy as I could muster.

"Lils!". He said. I sat up and my eyes met his I had never seen so much emotion before. I couldn't break the eye contact it was too intense. He wouldn't say it out loud in fear of scaring me off but his eyes said it all just how much he loved me.

I wanted to kiss him so bad but I didn't know if he would think it was just because I had had an emotional day.

"We have food." He said still staring at me.

"Thanks. Thanks for everything." I whispered. He bit his lip before he replied. "Screw it." I whispered and then I bolted closer to him and kissed him. He was surprised at first but it only took a second before he was kissing me back. After a couple of seconds I remembered myself and pulled gently away. Yup, I loved that boy.

The next day I went to class. Mostly I was just going through the motions to make Dumbledore happy. He had only given me one day to miss class. I was still emotional but every time I felt like I was going to lose it I thought of James. He had held me the whole night. The other boys had come in and slept too but there was no judgement on their faces. They welcomed me into their room like I belonged there.

At one time during the day when I once again felt like I was going to crumble I looked down on my paper wondering what James would say right now when

 _Lily?_

Appeared on my paper in James's sloppy but elegant hand writing.

 _James?_ I wrote back.

 _It works! Remus is a genius I swear I'm going to name one of my sons after him._

 _How are you?_ He finally said. I was trying not to laugh I didn't need people to think I was going crazy.

 _Been better._

 _Ugh. Why can't we be in all the same classes? I want to be there for you, but instead I have to listen to Professor Bins drone on and on about trolls._

 _You are here for me. You figured out a way to contact me without seeing me._

 _I guess that's true… I just miss you._

I smiled at that. Looking up I noticed that nobody had noticed me.

 _I miss you too. But it will be okay. I will survive for another half hour. And then we have our date this weekend that's something to look forward to._

 _Oh yes the long over due date. Sometimes it feels like we have been dating for years and I have loved every minute of it._


	17. Chapter 16: First Date

"Seriously? You're taking me to see Hagrid? For our first date?". I asked as he pulled me a long the darkening grounds. The rest of the week had slowly gotten better. My friends had all been an amazing support. And finally it was time for mine and James's first date. He was right it felt like we had already had our first date, like we had been together for ever.

"No, that's just the beginning. Besides what do you have against Hagrid?".

"Nothing.". And it was true. Hagrid was the keepers of games and keys at Hogwarts and he was very nice to everyone. I had just never really had a chance to get to know him. Snape didn't like him that much and being best friends with Snape meant I didn't get to know the Hagrid James seemed to know.

"Hello Hagrid!" James called knocking on the door of the hut that sat on the edge of Hogwarts grounds.

"James! You made it." Hagrid's voice came from inside the hut as the door banged open. Hagrid was a big man who usually had to stoop down to walk through doors. He looked like what I pictured a mountain man to look like right down to the long scraggily beard. "Lily! I couldn't believe it when I 'eard, the two of you together it's about time." I blushed. "Come in, come in."

"Right, but like I explained we can't stay for long Hagrid we're just here to borrow Fang." James said.

"Don't know why, he's a right coward he is." said Hagrid who continued to usher us into the hut.

"Don't eat anything." James whispered in my ear. "I know but you wouldn't be too happy if we went into the Forbidden Forest without him would you?"

"The Forbidden Forest?!" I asked. "You're kidding right?"

"Don't worry Lils I won't let anyone hurt us." James said without even looking at me I figured this wasn't the best time to argue.

It was about thirty minutes before we left the hut. Hagrid, who I now personally liked, had tried to feed us, give us tea, and anything else he could do to try to get us to stay.

We left with Fang, who happened to be a big bloodhound. James started leading us to the forest. "You were serious." I said stopping in my tracks.

James stopped and looked back at me with a mischievous smile on his face. That look alone almost made me melt "I have never been Sirius in my life… I'm James always have been." With that I ran up and started hitting him.

"You know that's not what I meant!" I said when he had me wrapped securley in a hug with my arms pinned to my side so I couldn't continue hitting him.

"Lily." He breathed in my ear. A shiver went down my body and I swear I could hear him smile he knew this was going to be an easy win. "Would I ever let anything in the forest hurt you without getting in it's way first?"

"No. But if it eats you then me we are both dead."

"That's why we have Fang, he'll reveng our deaths."

"I hate you." I said as he turned me around so I was now facing him.

"No you don't." He said, "You love me." we both froze at that. I think we both knew it was a true statement, but neither one of us knew what to do once it was said so we wouldn't say it.

"Is that what it's called when you're not sure if you want to strangle someone or kiss them?" I asked.

James answered the question for himself and kissed me. "Now come on my little doe stop being skittish and let's go start our date."

I sighed and followed my boyfriend into the trees. We didn't really walk that far before i saw a light up a head. There was a clearing that the light was coming from and every inch of every tree was covered in lights. In the center of the clearing was a plaid picnic blanket complete with a picnic basket.

"James." I gasped when I saw it. I couldn't say anything else this must have taken hours to plan let alone put together.

"I know it's cliche, but I wanted to do something perfect for my first date with the perfect girl." He took my hand and led me to the blanket. As I sat down I found myself blinking back tears. I couldn't believe that somebody had actually done something like this for me.

"James, I don't know what to say." I finally said.

"Don't say anything just catch." He said. He had been pulling out different types of food from the basket and he had just pulled out popcorn he picked a kernel and threw it towards my face. It hit me right on the nose. "What kind of catch was that?!"

"Not fair! I wasn't ready, try me again!" The night was absoluetly perfect just like he had planned. The food was delicious and the company was great. After we were done eating I found us lying on our backs looking at the stars, holding hands.

I sighed. "We are out way past curfew."

"Then why stop now?" He asked turning toward me. I looked over to him to argue but the look in his eyes were so full of love I said something completely different than what I meant so say, "Okay."

"Look at the little lilly Evans openly breaking the rules."

"Careful Potter or I might change my mind."

"I'll shut up then."


	18. Chapter 17: Funeral

Chapter 17: The Funeral

Have I mentioned how much I loved James? When I was with him it was like the rest of the world didn't matter so it took me by surprise when I was called to the Headmasters office just a couple of days later.

"Miss Evans,: Dumbledore said when I had sat down. I was still picturing James down by the gargoyle where I had left him since he didn't want to let me go alone. "I received a letter from your sister today." That brought me back to reality.

"What?!"

"Well I wrote her first because I knew you wouldn't."

"What were the letters about?" I asked trying my hardest not to growl.

"Your parents funeral of course. She told me the night they died you weren't invited, but I reminded her that you are also their daughter and you have just as much right to be there as she does."

"Wait, so you're trying to get permission from my sister for me to go to my parents funeral?" Man, my family was messed up.

"Not only trying miss Evans, but succeeding. Under the promise that you will not ask to stay at her and her fiance's apartment you're allowed to go to the funeral… which by the way is tomorrow."

"But, Professor, what about class?" I couldn't believe Dumbledore was giving me permission to skip class, again.

"Miss Evans your family is far more important. You'll go out to Hogsmead tomorrow and apparate from there. I have booked you a room at the Leaky Cauldron for tomorrow night and then you'll apparate back the next morning."

"Thank you so much, Sir." I said. I stood knowing the conversation was over.

"Oh and Miss Evans?" Dumbledore said as i had my hand on the door. I turned back, "You're to make this trip alone. If I head about any of your friends mission class tomorrow you'll all be in detention until graduation. Have a great time!"

"What do you mean I can't go with you?!" James shouted.

"Talk a bit louder mate, I don't think the whole common room could hear you." Sirius said. James had been irritated with me ever since I got out of the headmasters office. I had refused to tell him knowing I would just have to tell the story over and over so I just wanted to wait.

"Look, I'm lucky that Dumbledore's letting me leave the castle at all. I'll be fine. It's a quick trip." James still refused to look at me.

"Well have fun with that crazy sister of yours." said Sirius.

"Be safe." said Remus.

"Love ya." said Anna. As they all finished speaking they walked away. Soon it was just me and James. I stood up and walked over to him. He still wouldn't look at me.

"James?" I said brushing his hair out of his eyes.

"I promised." He said.

"What?"

"I promised you would never be alone again."

"James." I whimpered. "I have to go. And you knew sometimes I would be alone. That's life."

"What if you get hurt Lils? What if some Death Eaters find you? I would never be able to live with myself." Tears started to roll down his cheeks.

"James, you have to know that I can protect myself. I have to go. Please understand."

"I love you Lily Evans. Can't you understand that?" He said looking directly into my eyes.

I leaned forward and kissed him. There it was the statement that we had both been afriad to say. "I love you too. So I do understand. But you have to let me go." I barely got out the whole thought before he was kissing me again.

"Can we keep this PG rated please?!" I heard Sirius shout from across teh room. We pulled away from each other smiling. "And the Head Boy and Girl too." He scoffed.

James grabbed a piece of paper from close by and crumbled it to throw at him without even looking away from me. "Shut it you."

I will never ever say that going to my parents funeral was a mistake. I will say that it was one of the saddest moments in my life. Petunia and Vernon both wouldn't talk to me. They knew it wasn't my fault that our parents were dead but they knew it was "my kind" that was behind it. The rest of the family didn't understand why I hadn't been there after they were found. Apparently normal boarding schools let their students leave in such cases. It was a very hard day to say the least and I was only looking forward to my stay at the Leaky Cauldron that night. I did feel better though, having that closure with my parents.

As I was leaving Petunia finally spoke to me. "In case it wasn't clear you're not invited to my wedding anymore."

With that I ran to get away from all the muggles and once I was alone I apparated to Diagon Alley and the Leaky Cauldron. Witches and Wizards were the only type of people I wanted to be around anymore.

"Hey Tom." I said walking to the counter. Before Tom could reply I heard my name.

"Lily Evans?" I turned to see James's mom standing right behind me.

"Mrs. Potter." I said giving her a hug.

"Oh please. Call me Janice."

"Okay Janice." i said.

"What in the world are you doing out of school?" She asked.

"I got permission from Dumbledore to go to my parents funeral." I explained probably a bit too much.

"That's right, james told us the bad news. I'm sorry for your loss dear."

"Thank you. I'm just staying here tonight and heading back to school tomorrow."

Tom felt like that was the perfect moment to butt in. "Your room is ready Miss Evans." he said gesturing for me to follow him.

"Oh, right." I said starting after him.

"Join me for dinner won't you?" called Janice. Dinner with my boyfriend's mom didn't sound like tons of fun to me but I couldn't really say no.

"Of course."

"7:00?"

"Sure."

 _Lils?_ I loved my piece of paper that was my open communication with James.

 _James, I'm having dinner with your mother tonight...help?_

 _Oh crap! I forgot it was her weekend off and she would be there. You don't have to go if you don't want to._

 _It's your mom what kind of girlfriend would I be if I bailed on your mom?_

 _A normal one?_

 _Not a chance._

 _Fine, go have fun. By the way how'd today go?_

 _:P_ drawing the face felt weird it it made me laugh.

 _That good, huh?_

 _On the plus side I don't have to go to the wedding anymore._

 _I hate your sister._

 _What a coincidence I do too._

 _ **Hey Lily, I'm stealing James now.**_

It was Sirius's handwriting he must have stolen the paper from James. I could picture the fight they must be having right now.

Two minutes later James's writing was back. _Excuse me Lils I have to go kill a dog!_

 _Have fun!_

 _Love you!_ After I read that not for the first time I wondered why I hadn't just gone back to Hogwarts tonight.

 _Love you more!_

 _Not possible._

 _Good night, see you tomorrow._

By the end of the night I wanted to be a member of James's family. His mother only knew stuff about me that James had told her, but she took that information and ran with it. We ate dinner at the Leaky Cauldron where she made sure I got all of my favorites. We then went to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour of dessert. The whole time she asked me questions about my life and I answered. I also got to learn more about her and the Potter family. I loved it.


	19. Chapter 18: The Order of the Pheonix

Chapter 18: The Order of the Phoenix

"No!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"You're an idiot!"

"Takes one to know one!"

This is what I walked in on when I arrived back to the common room the next morning. James and Sirius were going at it again.

"Oi! What kind of seventh years are you?!" I screamed.

"Lily!" Anna and Alice screamed running towards me. They both gave me a big hug. Remus and Peter came over to receive one as well. And then Sirius.

"For the record it was a very serious argument." He said.

"Why because you were in it?" I asked with a smirk.

"You know it." Finally I looked at my boyfriend. I wanted to run to hi, and just look at him all at the same time.

"Come on guys, let's head to class. Give these two some privacy." Sirius said.

"I never thought twenty four hours could last so long." James said after everyone left finally closing the distance between us. I wrapped my arms around his waist.

"Next time rules or no rules you're coming with me." I replied.

He put his finger to my chin coaxing it up. And kissed me. It was just as good as I remembered and better. "Gosh I missed you." I breathed several minutes later when we broke apart.

"Never leave again." It was almost a statement, almost a request.

"Never." I whispered. With that he kissed me again.

"So how important is going to classes for you today?" He asked. I paused. "I want to hear all about yesterday."

Breakfast time at Hogwart no scratch that meal time at Hogwarts had always been one of my favorite times. It was the time that you could hang with your friends without worrying that teachers were going to interrupt you or worrying about homework.

"Hey Lils, isn't that Nibbles?" asked James. He was holding my hand but he had to know that I wasn't really paying attention to him. Six full years in the wizarding world and the post still astounded me. That is I wasn't really paying attention to him until he said my name and that of my owl.

"What? But I never get mail. Everybody I know is right here." I exclaimed as I watched Nibbles land in front of me. I reached out and the first thing I realized was that I didn't recognize the handwriting and the second thing I realized was I was nervous to read this particular letter.

As I read James and the rest started talking about something else.

 _Dear Miss Evans,_

 _I would like to hereby invite you to meet with me and a few others in a secret meting this Tuesday at 7 in the evening. We will be meeting in the Room of Requirement, located on the seventh floor just past the Barnabas the Barmy portrait. Walk past three times thinking about your meeting with me and a door will appear._

 _See you then,_

 _Albus Dumbledore_

 _P.S. Tell no one of this meeting._

"Woah Lily! I know you hate your sister but that's no reason to burn down the whole castle." Sirius declared looking over to see me burning the letter. I decided it was okay to let them all believe that the letter was from Petunia.

Tuesday night came very quickly I had told my friends that Hagrid had invited me down to his hut to get to know me a bit better. None of them even asked any questions. I guess if I was a good friend I would have realized that they all seemed to be distracted but I was distracted myself.

Once entering the seventh floor and starting my pacing I started to wonder why I hadn't told anybody not even James. I hadn't been exactly the best at following Dumbledore's rules to this point so why was I starting now. And why on earth was Dumbledore having a secret meeting anyways. Just like he said though the door appeared on the third turn. I almost sprinted for the door afraid that it was going to disappear or something.

Entering the room I was stunned at how many people were in the room and most of them weren't even students. The room itself was a big room with about a dozen couches lined up all facing a fireplace. My first thought was how cozy it felt. As I scanned the room I saw Remus waving at me. _Oh good at least I know somebody here._ I thought as I walked towards him.

"Boy am I glad to see you." He said. "How long have you known about this?"

"Remember when I set that letter on fire?" I replied sitting down next to him.

"Oh yeah. So it wasn't from your sister?"

"Ha, Petunia hasn't contacted me since the funeral and I don't expect her to."

He looked like he was going to say something else but at that moment Dumbledore who was sitting at the front of the room stood and began to speak. "Hello, and welcome one and all to this the first meeting of a new Order."

He was suddenly cut of by the door banging open and four rambunkshus teenagers coming in together. I knew them all right away they were my friends. They had all obviously told each other about their letters and it seemed Remus and I were the only ones who could keep a secret. I was astonished that not even James had told me though. They all took a seat in the front without even noticing me and Remus.

"As I as saying and as we all know Voldemort is getting stronger and stronger everyday and even though I hate to say it even the aurors can't keep up with all of the Death Eaters that are flocking to his aid. Isn't that right Alastor?" The whole room had flinched at the name of the Dark Lord and then the whole room had turned to look at, oh it was Moody!

"I am sad to say that is correct Headmaster." Moody replied.

"But that's why I have gathered all of us together. I believe we need a group that is willing to do whatever it takes to bring down Voldemort and all of his followers. Those witches and wizards here tonight that decide to join this group and who are out of school will have special assignments tailored to their personal talents. As for the students that are here tonight, I have been personally made aware that the Death Eaters are recruiting from within Hogwarts itself. That's what I'll need your help with finding out who has joined and who has not and who has considered it. Are there any questions?"

Several people in the room rose their hands. Remus's hand shot up as well.

"Yes, Remus." Crap! I instantly thought as everybody in the room turned to where we sat. Now all of our friends would know that I lied to them.

"Would we be working with partners? And how much do we have to tell each other I suspect we all have to trust each other so that would mean no secrets." He was talking about his furry little secret and Dumbledore knew it.

"Some of the missions would be solo missions but yes some would be with partners. As for what you want to tell each other is completely up to you."

I sat and listened to the rest of the meeting and by the end Dumbledore had decided that the best name for this little group would be The Order of the Phoenix because that had absolutely nothing to do with what we were doing. When the meeting was over we all stood up and went to sign a paper so he would know who was interested and who wasn't. He would contact us all individually for our assignments.

James signed the paper and then stood back and waited for me. His eyebrows raised when he saw me take the quill and sign my name at the bottom of the list and as soon as I was done he grabbed my other hand and dragged me out of the room.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" James never swore around me never and that's how I knew he was mad.

"Oh I'm sorry was I supposed to ask for your permission before I joined a top secret group to defeat the Dark Lord?" I wrenched my hand free of his. I knew where this was going we had had the conversation before whenever I brought up the fact that I wanted to be an Auror. James wanted me to be safe and he would stop at nothing to make that so.

"Lily it's not safe!" He screamed.

"Then why did you sign up?!" I screamed back.

"You know why."

"And you know why I did too. James you think you can protect me from everything that comes my way but you never stop to think that maybe I don't need protecting maybe I want to protect you!" And with that I stormed off. I was sick of him treating me like I was fragile. Voldemort had killed my parents without even blinking an eye. I was not going to go down without a fight. For once in his life he did not come after me. And for the first time in our relationship we were in a fight that neither one of us were in a particular hurry to settle.


	20. Chapter 19: I Can Take Care of Myself

Chapter 19: I can take care of myself

"You two are both being childish." Sirius proclaimed sitting down next to me at lunch about a week later. Our girl friends were on my side. Of course they were James was treating me like because I was a girl I couldn't take care of myself. As for the rest of the Marauders they had decided not to take sides and they were tirelessly trying to fix it.

"And what did he say when you told him that?" I asked barely even looking up from my sandwich.

"He said and I quote 'it's not my problem it's hers. I'm just trying to be a good boyfriend here.' Ugh! Can't you two just both admit that you are wrong and make up?"

"No, because I'm not wrong and you know it."

He gave a deep sigh. "Fine, let's say for argument's sake that you're not wrong."

"I'm not." I interjected.

"Are you really willing to give up James for this?" He continued as if I had never spoke.

"If James can't treat me as an equal then I don't know if I can be with him anyways." Was my reply. As I finished speaking a letter fell onto my plate I never saw where it came from. "It's from Dumbledore." I whispered.

 _Lily,_

 _I need to make sure that Severus Snape has indeed joined Voldemort. You were once close to him. This is your first mission._

I gulped. How exactly did he expect me to figure that out? Snape wouldn't even look at me since our row when I started dating James and now I was supposed to find out where his loyalties lay. This was going to be hard. "What's your assignment?" asked Sirius bringing me back to where I was.

Well Dumbledore had never said it was secret. "I have to really figure out if a ex best friend of mine is a Death Eater." I said. "Don't tell James, he would just freak. He doesn't want me anywhere near Snape."

"Lily, I think this is something that you should tell James. You two haven't officially broken up or anything and as your boyfriend I think he has a right know."

"No." I said and with that I stood up. I had to go and make plans to figure out if it was true and my old best friend had gone to the dark side.

It was about two days later when I decided to put my plan into action. I had thought about it long and hard and I had come to the conclusion that pretending to be Snape's friend again was definitely not an option, he would see right through that. So that meant I had to confront him. It wouldn't be pretty but nothing about that man was anymore. Meanwhile, James had been watching me closely. I wondered if Sirius had indeed told him about my assignment, but then I remembered I didn't care. This was my assignment! It was given to me because if anyone could find out the truth about Snape it was me.

So what was my plan? A stake out. I waited by a passage that I knew Snape took everyday and I just waited until he passed by. It wasn't long at all before he did pass by and he was with his friends that were rumoured to also be Death Eaters. I briefly wondered if somebody else was working on them. They all laughed as they walked past.

"What's so funny?" I blurted out. It was then that I knew that they hadn't noticed me when they first past because I startled them.

"Buzz off, Evans." said McNair.

"Last I checked I can be wherever I want to be thanks."

"You guys go ahead. I'll take care of this." said Snape.

"Take care of this? Like I'm some kind of animal? Like we didn't use to be best friends?" I said as he walked closer to me.

"That was a long time ago Evans." He said.

It was now or never. "What you only have time to hang out with your fellow Death Eaters?"

He stopped and gave me one last look before he turned to walk off. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"So you don't deny it. Is it true Snape? Are you really that stupid?" Okay that part kind of just slipped out.

He spun back around. "Stupid?! Stupid?! Is that what I am? The Dark Lord promises vengeance in this horrible world. He promises a future. Besides last I checked you were in love with a blood traitor who when the Dark Lord takes over will be the first to die, well besides your kind of course." My plan had worked a little too perfectly. I knew that if I made Snape mad it would just blurt everything out. That had been one of his problems since we were kids, but now he was extremely mad and he had also gone too far.

"Blood traitor?!" Yeah, I didn't even care about the jab he had made at me, but he had insulted James and that was not okay. "And how exactly is James- my pureblood- boyfriend a blood traitor?"

"You know how." he said.

"Enlighten me."

"Well it's not just the fact that he hangs out with a Mudblood like you, but it's the fact that he hangs out with Black who himself is a blood traitor and let's not even mention Lupin." How was it even possible the he kept pushing my buttons? My plan had been to push his not the other way around.

"Sirius Black is not a blood traitor. And don't you ever mention Lupin again! If anybody here is a blood traitor it's you!" I screamed.

He just gave me one last look and left. All of my pent up anger was close to the boiling point and watching him walk away it boiled over and I began to cry.

"That would bloody brilliant." came a soft voice from above me. In my despair I hadn't noticed James approaching me or the fact that I had crumpled to the ground. "But next time you decide to confront a Death Eater can you not make them so angry?" He sat down by me.

I hid my face again. "You saw that eh?"

He nodded his head. "I was worried it was going to get physical, but Sirius convinced me to wait and watch."

"Sirius?" I asked and then louder realizing that he was probably hiding somewhere close by too. "Sirius?!"

"He ran off already. Something about giving us our privacy." I nodded like that made sense. Wait, privacy that meant that Sirius thought we were going to talk and that we were going to work this out. Well I still wasn't going to back down on my side so that left it all to James, who did begin speaking again. "Lils, look. Is it such a bad thing that I, as your boyfriend, wants to protect you?"

I wasn't expecting that argument. "James," I whispered, "it's very sweet of you actually, but you need to know that I can protect myself. I have been for years."

He sighed. "It's not that I don't think you can protect yourself I think you just demonstrated that very well. It's the fact that you shouldn't have to. You shouldn't have to put up with Death Eaters coming after you or people calling you a Mudblood or worried about your life. You should have someone who is willing to protect you from everything. You've never had that in the wizarding world and I want to be that person."

Everything that he said was very sweet and I melted at his words but I needed to stand my ground. "James I know that we would both love to be with each other 24/7 but even if we were married it wouldn't be logical. I'll be alone sometime. That doesn't even matter though what if I want to protect you and the rest of the wizarding community too. Can't you understand that I want to be helpful? Why do we keep having this argument?"

"Okay fine!" He sounded tired, but I refused to look at him refused to hope where this might be going. "You can be apart of Dumbledore's Army."

"The Order of the Phoenix." I corrected.

"You call it what you want and I call it what I want. I know why you do what you do, I may not like seeing you going out in danger, but I'm sure I won't like the idea of you doing it behind my back either."

"Really?!" I asked.

"Just please remember something while you're out there risking your life." He said as I tackled him in a hug.

"Yes? Anything!"

"I love you and I will be waiting for you to come home." And with that he kissed me.


	21. Chapter 20: Valentines Day

Chapter 20: Valentines Day

"What do you mean he's not telling you what you're doing for Valentines Day?" exclaimed Anna after she had just given us all a full rundown of Sirius's plans for the two of them for Valentines Day and she had turned to ask me what James and I were going to be doing.

"Honestly I don't even think he wants to celebrate it." I replied looking down at my slippered feet. The only time that we actually got girl talk anymore was right before bed and right when we woke up.

"What do you mean?" asked Alice, who had amazing plans with Frank for the day of love too.

"Well everytime I bring it up or someone else does he kind of changes the subject. He acts like it's not even a thing."

"So what you're telling me is the James Potter doesn't celebrate Valentine's Day." Anna replied pulling her robes on up over her head.

"That's what it's looking like." I said and then to show that I didn't care, even though I did. "But I mean who needs just one day to show the woman he loves that he loves her. He should try to do it everyday."

"That's a cop out Lils and you know it."

"I've got to get the breakfast." I said openly avoiding the conversation now.

Sirius was astounded too. Anna confronted him that night while James was out helping two prefects one of who couldn't stand the other.

"What are you going on about? James loves Valentine's Day! Every year he decorates our dorm and hands out valentines and chocolate. It's a big to do."

"Then why hasn't he made any plans with Lily for it?" asked Anna.

Sirius looked at me completely blank faced. "Haven't the foggiest and I'm his best friend he tells me everything."

Great so not even his best friend knew why James was avoiding the subject of Valentine's Day with me. As the day got closer and closer I got more and more ancy and when I get ancy bad things start to happen. I start to overreact. How did I overreact? I made plans… with another boy.

"So Lils, when do you want me to pick you up tonight?" asked James the morning of Valentines. The Great Hall was decorated from top to bottom in pink and red. It looked like Cupid had come and thrown confetti everywhere. And to add to the Cupid factor everywhere you looked there were couples holding hands.

"What do you mean?" I asked my heart skipping a beat.

"For our Valentine date, duh." He had made plans.

I took a deep breath and just gave him the bad news. "I've already got plans."

"Yeah… with me… right?"

"No." I said standing up and making a beeline for the exit, breakfast didn't look so good anymore.

"Lily?" he called but he didn't follow me for once in his life, too shocked by my proclamation.

He did eventually get over his shock and ended up pulling me out of my second class of the day. Not even kidding he barged into the room about fifteen minutes after it started and almost shouted to the class "I'm going to need the Head Girl for a moment Professor it's very important." With that he sprinted down the aisle to where I sat grabbed my hand and pulled me up from my seat and back down the aisle and out the door.

"What the heck is going on?" I gasped ripping my hand from his. "Is everything alright?"

"No." He said pacing away from me.

"James, what's wrong?" I asked suddenly worried.

"You have other plans for Valentine's Day!" He exclaimed turning back to me.

"No," I said calmly, "We're not doing this. Not right now. Not when I'm supposed to be in class. Just no." And with that I walked back into my class. "False alarm." I told the teacher. The rest of the day I did my best to avoid James which let me tell you is not the easiest thing to do especially when he knows your schedule as well as his own.

However, it wasn't until I came down the stairs for my date that he finally caught up with me. "Are we or are we not dating?" he asked.

"We are." I nodded.

"Do you or do you not love me?" he asked.

"I do." I said and right then I saw Derek. "Excuse me but there's my date." And with that I walked right past my beautiful boyfriend over to Derek and let me just say that was the hardest walk of my life.

The thing about that date was that Derek knew that I was just trying to make a point to James. He knew that it was just as friends so that made it easier to have fun. But the whole night long I was still worrying about James and I was still looking over my shoulder worried that I would see James spying on us. But the whole night I didn't see him once. I was happy to note that we had gotten to that stage in our relationship that we trusted each other.

He wasn't even in the common room when we entered later that night. "Well as far as Valentine's Day dates go I think we had the most mild one." Derek commented.

"Yeah, it was a lot of fun. Thank you."

"No problem. Hey you know if you ever want to do that for reals again…"

But I cut him off. "Derek you're a sweet boy but you're just not the right kind of guy for me. I'm sorry."

"Yeah I figured." And he went up to his dorm.

I went to walk up the steps to my dorm too when I was suddenly spun around and I was looking at, nothing. "James!" I squeaked. He didn't reveal himself he just scooped me up into his arms and flung the cloak over me too so no one would see me as he carried me bridal style down to the kitchens. I stared at him all the way there. Wanting to kiss him so bad but not wanting to distract him from whatever gave him that look of concentration. When we entered the kitchen he unceremoniously dumped me on the ground.

I knew he was mad. "James?" I whispered.

"Do you know how much tonight physically hurt me?" He asked before I could get out anything else.

"Do you know how much it hurt me?" I replied.

"Then why did you do it?" He asked.

"Why did you do it?" I replied.

"I'm not the one who went on a date with someone else." He said.

"I'm not the one who wouldn't even talk about Valentine's Day until today." He didn't say anything to that. "How was I supposed to know that you had plans?"

He just gapped at me. "Lily Evans." he muttered something after my last name and he froze probably worried I had heard.

"What?" I asked.

He took a deep breath and looked at me. "I guess now you know why you drive me so crazy." He said.

"Enlighten me." I wanted to hear him say it.

"Lily, Lily, Lily. I think what I feel for you has gone far beyond love. I can honestly see this relationship lasting longer than any of my others."

"James." I said stepping close to him. "I don't even know how to describe in words how much I deeply love you. You know that there is no one else for me." He never did let me finish. He kissed me senseless. "So you forgive me?" I asked and to answer that he kissed me again.

"Don't ever do that to me again and I think we'll be even." He said when we were finished.

"And who said that Valentine's Day was just for pansies?" I said.

"People who have never felt a love like ours before."


	22. Chapter 21: My Birthday Surprise

Chapter 21: My Birthday Surprise/ Playing Hooky

I would really like to say that life settled down after that… like I would really like to say that life settled down after Valentine's Day and that the next thing there was to report on would be Easter, but that would be a lie.

One day in mid March us girl woke up and we couldn't find the boys anywhere. They weren't in breakfast which was practically unheard of and they weren't in the common room at all. I even ventured up to their dorm and they weren't there either.

"It's official. The aliens finally came to take them back." said Anna. I snorted.

What did I use to fill my James free day? I went to the library. I hadn't actually had a solo study session in months and I thought maybe I might actually get more done. I was wrong. I sat in the library for a good hour and in that hour I read the same sentence over and over again. I just kept thinking about where the boys could be among other things that had been on my mind for quite some time now. Finally I gave studying up as a bad joke and left the library.

I was walking back to the common room when i had my eyes blindfolded and what appeared to be a blanket thrown over me and I was rudely picked up bridal style. And you know what I wasn't even scared. To this day I'm not even sure why I wasn't scared I don't think I knew who it was I just think that I figured that at some point in my life I was going to be kidnapped. That does not mean however that I did not try to escape. I did kick and I did scream… well until whoever was holding me clamped his hand over my mouth.

James Potter has a very distinct smell. He smells of broom polish and leather and something else that I can't really describe but that is very him. Why the random knowledge about the scent of James? Because when that hand covered my mouth I smelt him and I instantly relaxed.

When he finally dropped me it was on to what felt like a leather car seat. That couldn't be right. We were in the wizarding world after all they didn't have things like cars they had brooms, but not cars. The blanket got pulled off and off next came the blindfold.

"We're in a car!" I said. I didn't even look at James I just spoke.

"And oh hey James is here!" James said.

"I know that." I replied.

"What? How? You were blindfolded!"

Suddenly I was blushing. I mean we had said how much we loved each other but I felt like admitting that I knew him by his scent really meant something different. "No reason." I whispered.

"Nope, not with that kind of blush! How'd you know it was me?"

"Why are we in a car?" I tried to fire back. "How'd you even get a car? Do you even know how to drive?"

"No, I'm not answering any questions until you tell me how you knew it was me." He said.

"Your smell ok?!" I said after a couple minutes of waiting in silence.

"Wait, what?" He asked.

"You have a special smell about you. Nobody else smells just like you." I got quieter as I spoke.

"You mean like how a certain girl that I know smells very much like flowers and parchment and well to be honest cherry pie no matter where she's been." I blushed even deeper. "I love your smell Lily." He said and then because he is who he is. "It's one of the reasons that I'm still with you to be honest."

I slugged him. "Now, the car?!" I said.

"Don't worry about it." He said starting the engine. "Where do you want to go?"

"What do you mean? We can't just leave the castle."

"Last I checked you had to get the permission of someone in charge. Hey look at that it's the Headgirl! Hey Evans!" He was waving at me now and looking totally ridiculous.

I sighed. "What do you want, Potter?"

"Can I take my girlfriend out of the castle for her birthday?"

I started sputtering, "First of all my birthday was like a month ago. Second of all I don't think it works like that." And with that I looked out the window, "And third, where the heck are we going?"

He had started to drive while we were talking. I could just imagine all of the Hogwarts students looking out their windows to see a sports car driving along the grass. Of course James would have stolen a sports car, nothing else would do for him.

"First, too late now. Second, well you didn't tell me when it was. And third, does it really matter where we go as long as we get a chance to relax and we are together?" He answered. I knew that I could have continued to argue with him, but I really didn't feel like it. So I put my life in his hands and let him continue to drive and for once in my life I actually felt like that girl in the movies whose boyfriend comes and picks her up in his fancy car and they just go wherever they want.

Up until that point I only had a couple of days that I considered to be the best days of my life. The day Snape told me that what I could do was magic, the day I entered Hogwarts for the first time, the day I started dating James, and now today. I know that that probably sounds way cheesy but that's how I felt.

It was the first time that I had ever seen James in the muggle world. He drove and drove and finally his stomach started growling and let's be honest I was starving too, but we were in the heart of a muggle city. He glanced at me with almost a confused expression. "Help me out here, Evans? Where's good?"

I laughed and told him to pull over to a gas station. "First lesson in mastering muggle world. All muggle cities are not the same." I joked getting out of the car. Thank goodness he had had the sense to bring a change of clothes or else I would have really stood out walking into that gas station. James followed after me looking like a lost puppy. "Excuse me sir." I said to the cashier.

He looked up and I smiled because the look that he was giving me was the same look that James used to give me back in fifth year. I knew it well. Tossing my hair I continued. "We were wondering what's the best place in town to get a bite?" I continued. I could feel James tense at my easy flirting.

"Right." the cashier said after shaking himself. "Mario's makes the best pizza in the whole country. You should try there." He said.

"Thanks!" I said enthusiastically. "Do you happen to have a map of the town that we can use?"

He pretty much tripped over himself trying to get to the map. "It's on the house!" He declared.

"Thank you so much!" I said noticing his name tag for the first time. "Marty, you have been an angel." And with that I turned and walked out.

"What the heck was that?" asked James following me.

"That was us getting the information that we needed." I replied hoping back in the car.

"You were totally flirting with him!" He accused taking the drivers seat again.

"It's easier to get things you want if they think you're giving them what they want." I shrugged. "That's how I always got you to do what I wanted before we started dating."

"That's not…" He stopped. "That is completely true." I laughed at that and then started to navigate to the restaurant.

"You're telling me that they can make all of this stuff and they don't use magic or houseelves or anything like that?" James exclaimed looking at the menu sometime later.

"Yes, cooking is a hobby and job held by many. Pretty sure that it was a thing before wizards started doing it." I said actually trying to focus on my menu.

"But how?" he asked.

"I tell you what, I'll teach you sometime." I said. "Yeah, once we've graduated you can come over to my flat and I'll cook you a meal. Just the two of us. How's the sound?" I asked leaning towards him.

And then because he's a wizard and doesn't understand the concept of a woman in the kitchen that every muggle man seemed to understood he said, "Anytime I get to spend with you is a good time." And with that he started looking around at all of the different muggle contraptions.

By the time our food was delivered I had explained more in detail what a phone actually does, he had used one before but he didn't understand it, what a jukebox was, which led to different styles of dance, muggle money, and wigs. Wigs was not a fun one, as our waiter took our order his toupee inched further down his head and James was so confused. "The things that muggles come up with instead of using magic." He said in aw.

"It's amazing isn't it?" I replied sarcastically.

"Lils?" He said a couple of minutes later. We had both been enjoying our meal when he started the conversation again.

"Yes?" I replied looking up from my burger. He was looking at me with that tender look he used, the one that made me go weak at the knees.

"What was it like growing up as a muggle?" That was a topic that I skirted quite well around others. Most wizards just wanted to know so they could make fun of muggles more, but I could tell that wasn't the case with James he really wanted to know.

"It actually wasn't that bad. I got to go to primary school and all of the kids loved me. I had tons of friends. Me and my family would go on holiday every summer. I had my whole life planned out. And then when I was about nine or so I started to realize that I didn't really fit in with the other kids as well anymore." I coughed. "That's when I started to exhibit my powers and they all thought that I was odd after that. I mean I didn't purposefully try to show anyone my magic if I could help it, but every now and then it would kind of slip out you know and people started talking about it. People tried to make me scared to see if I would do anything. I had to hide it from most people at school. I thought Petunia at least would think it was cool. I would be safe with her, but she was upset because I had gotten the powers and she hadn't. That's when I met Sev." And with that I trailed off.

"You know when I was a kid, I didn't have many friends?" James proclaimed after a short break.

I looked at him. How had we never talked about this before? "What do you mean? You were always surrounded by people. Magical children."

"Yeah and we would always pretend to be friends around my parents but after they and their parents went home I wouldn't miss them. I met Sirius kind of by accident. My family was in Diagon Alley and he was running away from his parents and I helped him hide because I thought it was funny. After that we kind of stuck to each other even though our parents weren't really so sure about it, his more than mine. We met Remus and Peter on the train. They were both kind of outcasts that were sitting by themselves together." He chuckled nervously at that. "We stick together because we're all that any of us has ever had."

"I never knew." I whispered.

"It's not really something that I want my girlfriend to know about me." He replied.

"Well James, now we both have eight best friends!" I declared.

"I wouldn't mind if I had just one if you were that one… don't tell Sirius that I said that." He added because once again it was getting too serious for him. And with that our conversation was over. We had a day full of shopping and dancing. If it had been up to James we would have gotten a hotel and stayed the night, but my conscience was starting to catch up with me and I knew that we had to get back to school.

"Fine." he said. "Let's go." And with that we walked back to the car


	23. Chapter 22: Easter

Chapter 22: Easter

"I'm not coming home with you guys for Easter." I said for probably the tenth time. It was the day before Easter break and he was still proding.

"Just give it up already." Sirius said lazily.

"It's too late to be arguing about this." Peter nodded.

"It's already done." Anna put in.

"Wait what?" I asked. The conversation had started with James asking me what I wanted for dinner on Easter and this what what I had gotten myself into.

James looked sheepish. "I told my mom you are coming."

"You what?" Well I was screwed.

"I told you Lils, we're your family and what kind of family leaves one of their own out on holidays?"

"I hate you all." I said standing up.

"Where are you going?" asked Alice.

"To pack! Apparently I don't really have a say in the matter do I?" I teased. I knew there was no point in being angry at this point.

To be honest the idea of staying with James's family wasn't even frightening to me. I had met them all before and we all got along. No I had never stayed at his house before but I knew my way around well enough. But then when we were on the train ride back to London Sirius said something that suddenly made me very nervous.

"So Lily, ready to meet the in-laws?" I could tell he was just joking but it still took me up short.

"What?" I asked.

"Ignore him Lils." said James glaring over at his best friend.

"No it's a good question." said Anna. "I mean if you guys see this relationship lasting forever that means marriage which means they would be Lily's in-laws."

"They don't see it like that." James tried to interject.

"I mean Mrs. Potter is probably going to want to pick out wedding colors with you." Sirius continued.

"No she won't." James was getting quieter and quieter because he knew that he couldn't compete with them probably.

"And china patterns." came from Anna.

It was too much and I stood up. "I'm going to go make sure that the prefects are okay." I came up with an excuse fast. No one followed me this time. James had already told me not to believe them and the others had thought that it was just a good joke. That didn't make me any less tense as we stepped off the train and right to his parents.

"Relax." James whispered taking my hand as we followed them out to a rented car. As cheesy as it may sound having his hand in mine did make me feel a bit better. I was still on my best behavior though. I refused to snuggle with James in the back seat. I wouldn't kiss him at all even when he said something completely adorable. And I even helped his mom clean up after dinner.

"Lils." I heard a harsh whisper sometime into the night. I wasn't a sleep what with being a new place and everything else that was on my mind, but I was startled. I turned to the doorway and there stood James.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"I can't come in." He replied.

"What do you mean you can't come in?"

"My mom took a page out of Hogwarts book and won't allow me to enter your room thanks to magic."

"So why are you here then?"

"I came to tell you to knock it off and to invite you to come play games with the boys and I in the living room." I stood up and walked over to the door.

"Knock what off?"

"Stop trying to be perfect." I began to stutter. "You're already perfect to me and my parents have always thought you were great that's not going to change anything just because we are serious or whatever." He said. I stepped through the door and gave him a big hug. Once in the hug he picked me up and started walking with me towards the stairs. "Also the invitation to play games with the boys and I wasn't really an invite." I just giggled at that.

Easter with James's family really wasn't that bad in fact it was a lot of fun. I met his whole family. Aunts and Uncles and cousins and they were all super kind to me. I felt just like I did when I met James's mom in Diagon Alley, like I was part of the family. Most nights I didn't even sleep in the room that Janice had designated as mine. Instead I would head down to the game room where the boys always started their night and would eventually end up falling a sleep on one of the couches either in the middle of a game, in the middle of a talk with all the boys, or just spending time alone with James. I don't even want to count the amount of times that James and I were found fast asleep in each others arms the next morning.

Easter morning was soon upon us and James and I were once again discovered but this time it was by his mother, something that we had avoided the whole time we had been home. "James?" She tried her best to sound calm but I could tell she was trying not to panic, even though I myself was barely awake.

"Mom? Crap!" James said jumping up effectively leaving me dumped onto the floor. "Nothing happened!"

"I never said anything did." she said turning to leave now that she could see we were both awake. "Breakfast will be ready in about ten."

I stared at James trying to figure out why he was so panicked. His mom had to have heard that we had been sleeping on the couch before, this could not be surprising. All he said as he ran after her was "Imagine if it was your mom." Suddenly I completely understood even though we all knew that James and I hadn't done anything wrong there was now that image in her head of her baby boy with a girl. I went beat red and almost decided to just not go to breakfast that morning.

Even with all of the turmoil about whether I should go to breakfast or not I was still early. Nobody was sitting in the dining room when I arrived so I decided to head to the kitchen to see if Janice would need any help bringing out food. I stopped short at the door when I heard two voices arguing on the other side. I was just going to turn and leave when I heard my name.

"Well what are your intentions with Lily anyways?" that had to be Janice.

"Mom, you're not her mom you're my mom try to remember that." that was James I would know his voice anywhere.

"Her mother isn't here to question you so I might as well." That stung a bit at the same time that it made me happy.

"Mom." He sighed.

"James, where do you see this going? I think I have a right to know whether I'm your mom or hers."

There was a long pause and I seriously started to believe that James was not going to answer that question. And this time I was really going to walk away when suddenly he belted out, "I want to marry her okay?! And I know that's stupid. And I know we're young. And I know there's a war going on out there and we both might be dead in the morning. But I don't care! Nobody on earth has made me feel the way that Lily makes me feel and nobody can ever make me feel that way again. So yeah mom I want to marry my girlfriend, does that answer your question?" And with that I heard him start stomping towards the door.

"And you think she'll have you?" His mom called after him.

"I believe so." He said. I ran for it, there was no way that he would be happy to see that I had been eavesdropping on all of that. When I did see his face again I was sitting in the dining room with the rest of our friends laughing about something Peter had said. I had taken a couple minutes to compose myself and tried to figure out how it all made me feel and honestly it made me excited and terrified. I agreed with James I wanted to marry him too and that thought scared me more than anything else.

Actual Easter day with the Potter's was way different than actual Easter day with my family. Back at home we all waited anxiously for the Easter Bunny to arrive and leave his little bundles of candy for us. Petunia and I usually fought over what we each wanted and then usually mom and dad would drag us to church where neither one of us would pay attention.

But like I said with the Potter's it was way different. They still had the normal Easter Egg Hunt for the little kids but the adults were sent on a scavenger hunt complete with magical curses and potions. We weren't allowed to help each other or else the clue that we had just solved would suddenly turn bad. Let me see if I can describe that better.

I was struggling being the only muggleborn and having never played this game so I was far behind everybody else and James who had begged his parents to let him play since he was fourteen at least of course was the first one done. He caught up to me. "Watcher Lils?" He said picking me up and spinning me around.

I giggled a bit and then grumbled when he placed me back down. "Why the long face, Beautiful?" he asked.

"I can't do it! I just can't!" I know I sounded like a little kid but I also knew this was James and he wouldn't care.

"The Great Lily Evans claiming defeat?" He asked. "Never! Here let me take a look at it." He stared at the paper for all of two seconds before stating. "Come on, Lils don't you remember the poem about Devil Snare we learned in herbology first year?"

"Devil Snare, devil snare, is deadly fun but will shrink in the… Sun! The Sun House!" And with that I dashed off. James following me chuckling. There was Devil Snare in there alright and it quickly wrapped itself around me and wouldn't let me go until I'm pretty sure everyone else had finished. James was able to keep out of reach on account that I was faster.

"Dang the no cheating rule!" He cursed. "Stay still Lily and it will let you go."

"Easy enough for you to say you're not trapped here." I spat at him. I tried my hardest to stay still but then James started laughing and I couldn't help it I started laughing too. This was all so ridiculous.

"See someones getting into the Potter Family spirit!" He said. "But seriously if you ever want to get out of there you probably should stay still."


	24. Chapter 23: Eating Competition

Chapter 23: The Eating Competition

Then there was Easter lunch was just as big as breakfast only lunch foods. The houselves must have been working over time. I was trying to pace myself knowing that there would probably be an even bigger dinner and probably pudding for dessert.

"I bet I can eat more ham than Evans!" Sirius suddenly belted out.

"Wait what?" I asked. I had been listening to some of James's aunts and uncles talking about their latest great adventure.

"Only because you can't beat one of us." said James. "Sure go for the petite girl."

"I'm not that small!" I said. Wait, what was I getting myself into?

"So you think you could beat me?" asked Sirius.

"In an eating contest? What are you ten?"

"It's a Potter family tradition." said Greg, Mr. Potter.

"Are you serious?" I asked.

"Yes I am." said Sirius. "And I'm challenging you to an eating contest."

"What do I get if I win?" I asked.

"Pride in a job well done?" asked Peter.

"No she would get the chocolate egg just like every year." said Greg.

"What chocolate egg?"

"It's the best dessert that the houselves know how to make." explained James. I looked around the room and saw everybody turned and staring at me.

"Load 'em up!" I finally called out.

I want to start by saying I have never seen so much ham in my life! I honestly don't know where it all came from. I wanted to see the size of the pig that all of this ham was coming from.

"Okay here's the rule." Greg began when our plates were set in front of us. "You are to eat as much ham as possible. This is not a speed competition so you can go as fast as you want or as slow. If you puke you forfeit to the other contestant. Also you're both of age and it pains me to have to say this but absolutely no magic is to be used. Do you understand the rules as I have explained them to you?" We both nodded. "Then on your mark, get set, go!"

Disclaimer: I don't eat a lot. I never really have, but when I'm hungry or when it's food that I really like I can put it away. It's not something that I'm proud of so I don't usually show people how much I can eat, it's usually when I'm by myself. I loved growing up a muggle because that meant if I wanted I could order a pizza and eat the whole box myself, although i had to admit it had been several years since I had done that.

I decided to take the slow route. I picked up my fork and my knife and I cut up the first piece of ham that was right on top and placed each piece of the meat into my mouth once piece at a time. I also decided not to look at Sirius which was really hard because there was a lot of snarling coming from his side of the room. I also drowned out all of the cheering, I knew listening to that would just make me want to eat faster and eating faster might make me sicker faster. I continued on that way for a long time. Just focusing on the next piece of ham. I don't know how long it was before I suddenly heard groaning from Sirius. I wanted to look up so badly but I kept eating. I would not fool myself I knew that even if he was done that didn't mean that I had won because I knew that I would have eaten less. The room really did go silent after that and I knew that the whole room was looking at me. And honestly as soon as I heard Sirius start groaning I suddenly started to feel full. I kept pushing though. I could not let Sirius win this time, he always seemed to have a way of getting what he wanted. I pushed myself all the way until I felt like I might puke. Finally I put down my fork and knife and picked up my glass of butterbeer to try to help seal it all down in my stomach. And with that done I looked up.

"So who won?" I asked as if it was the most normal thing in the world. Everybody was looking at me with adoration and for the first time I realized that my plate was almost empty. I looked over at Sirius and his plate it looked almost the same, and he looked mad.

"We'll have to measure the remaining." Greg replied. The houselves appeared and took away our two plates.

"Jeez, Lils." James said, I had forgotten that he was sitting by me.

"What?" I asked.

"Where does it all go?" asked Remus.

"I've never seen anyone eat that much." Peter added.

"Hey?!" said Sirius. "We don't know that she's won yet!"

"Sounds like even Padfoot thinks I won." I said with a smile.

"Shut it Doe!" He snapped.

"Doe?" I asked.

"It's nothing." whispered James. I looked over to him to see that he was blushing.

"Okay now I know that's a lie. Why did you call me Doe?" I asked Sirius.

"It's stupid." James said.

I ignored him and looked at Sirius. "James is a Stag so you would be his Doe… you know and the fact your patronus is a Doe tends to help. We toyed for a little bit with the name Bambi but he was a boy." I was now bright red too.

Luckily I didn't get a chance to reply though because right then Greg came back out of the kitchen. "Well the houselves double and tripled checked because the knew that the loser would make them… and the winner is Lily Evans!" He declared.

"That's my girlfriend!" James screamed as the rest of the room burst into applause and cheering.

When everybody was done clapping and Sirius himself had even admitted defeat. "Speech!" Called Remus jokingly, but with the Marauders nothing is ever just a joke.

"Speech!" soon the whole room was chanting it.

"Oh shut up you lot!" I finally yelled. When the whole room silenced and I looked around at the group gathered I realized that I did consider them all family and with family you could tease. "Well let's see. I want to start by saying I always dreamed that this day would come, well at least since about an hour ago when I was first challenged." There were a couple of snickers at that but they all tried to remain serious. "I've trained really hard for this, you know I've been eating my whole life." With that there were a couple of open chuckles. "And there are so many people that I want to thank. I want to start by thanking my family including those in the room today. I would also like to thank my wonderful boyfriend, James. I would like to thank Sirius for challenging me." A couple more laughs and giggles. "And let's not forget the pig who gave his life in order for all of my dreams to be made!" And with that I gave a deep bow. And the whole room was completely laughing now. "I would also like to ask for two things at this the conclusion of my greatest feet. First I would like to take the chocolate egg much much later today and second can I go lay down?"

Everybody laughed. "You may." said Janice.

"Thank you." I said standing up.

"I'll walk you to your room." James said following my lead and standing up to. I didn't miss the look that his mother threw our way. It was a knowing look and I suddenly remembered their conversation from this morning.

"That's okay you don't have to." I said quickly. He didn't listen, but took my hand as we reached the door.

"Just try to stop me." he whispered and as he did I knew that I didn't want to. We walked in silence most of the way to my bedroom. I didn't know what to say. The whole day I had been able to put that conversation out of my head and now I couldn't think about anything but that. "Lily, are you okay?" James finally asked.

"I'm fine." I said probably a little too loud and a little too fast. "I'm just super full." I said a little slower. I knew he still didn't believe me but he nodded.

"I still can't believe that you beat Sirius. I mean he eats, he eats… well he eats like a dog. I refuse to go up against him in a eating competition." He laughed.

"I am still trying to figure out how I got roped into that one." I admitted.

"You were taken off guard." He replied matter of factly. With that we were to my room.

Suddenly I didn't want to be alone. "Stay with me?" I asked.

"I can't Lils remember the enchantments that are on your room?"

"Right." I sighed as I opened the door.

"I've got an idea." He said and without even thinking another second he swept me up off my feet and started back down the stairs the way that we came.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"Now if I told you that it wouldn't be a surprise."

He proceeded to take me back down the stairs and outside. Once we were outside he made a beeline for a big oak tree towards the back of the yard. "You know I don't think that I have ever carried you this far before." He said half laughing.

"Did you just call me fat?"

"I would never do such a thing." He said sitting me down, but I could hear the heavy sarcasm in his voice.

I hit him. "Jerk."

He sat beside me "I never claimed to be anything else." He replied.

"For that I get to use you as my pillow." I declared resting me head on his lap.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." I don't know how long I was a sleep for, but when I woke up James was stroking my hair.

"Ever think about the fact that we could always wake up like this?" I asked.

He started not realizing I had woken up. "I don't know. You sleeping on my lap every night might grow uncomfortable to me." He joked.

I reached up and slapped him. "You know what I mean."

"You mean have I ever thought about the fact that we could go to sleep side by side every night and wake up next to each other, on purpose?" I nodded. "All the time."

"Me too." I admitted.

I knew that if we continued along this line of thought we would be having a very deep conversation very fast. James knew that too and even though we both knew how we felt about the subject we weren't ready to have that conversation just yet. "How's your little stomach?" He asked poking it.

"Still a little mad at me." I replied swatting his hand away.

"I do have to admit that I've never seen anyone eat that much before."


	25. Chapter 24: I'm Fine I'm Just Stressing

he rest of Easter break went by way too fast. After his argument with his mother James and I made sure that we were never caught sleeping in the living room together. Which sometimes meant waking up at five in the morning to hurry and run to our beds before his father came down for work. On the plus side the Potter family all seemed to have a new found respect for me after seeing just how much I could eat. I was pleased with the way the all were now treating me, well everyone except for Sirius who had taken to calling me Chipmunk, it started as Chipmunk Cheeks and then he shortened it. And just like that we were back at Hogwarts and to all of the seventh years surprise N.E.W.T's were right around the corner.

"It shouldn't be a shock!" I moaned for probably the tenth time that night. We were up late studying and by we I meant the group and by studying I meant all of us staring blankly at our textbooks and complaining every now and then.

"But it is." whispered Anna as if from sleep.

"We've known since first year that these tests were coming." Remus almost sounded like he didn't know what he was saying.

"That was ages ago!" James retroted. "Do you know how many things I knew about in first year that have since come and gone?"

"Why am I even in school?" asked Sirius as if he hadn't even heard the conversation at all.

Along with the N.E.W.T's stress came the applying for jobs stress. Most of us had sent in our auror applications as soon as we were allowed to, and waiting for an answer from Moody was painful. Also all of our teachers told us we had to have more than one option in case the first one didn't work out. It was with that knowledge that I had also applied for education school much to James's happiness.

"Evans, Potter! May I have a word?" barked Professor McGonagall probably two weeks after the break.

"Of course Professor." I said leaving the food that was in front of me right away. James looked down at his eggs and bacon wistfully but then followed my lead.

"As you are aware the end of the term is coming up." She said as soon as we were in her office. That's what I liked about McGonagall she always straight to the point.

"I think the whole castle is aware of that, Minnie." said James with a smile.

McGonagall just glared at him. "What you may not be aware of is that the Head Girl and Boy are in charge of the graduation ceremony." My smile turned into a frown in just a snap of fingers.

"What?" I asked.

"Well you know your fellow students better than even the teachers it only makes sense that you would be in charge. It's not as hard as it sounds. The Headmaster would like to say a few words so you can already make a spot for him at the end. We need to hand out the diplomas. The choir would like to sing a couple of numbers. So really out of the hour you'll probably only have to fill up thirty minutes worth. Those are easily filled by the Validictorian and in years past we've had the Heads speak. It doesn't have to be that way though you can have another professor speak or one of the students that have learned the most in the past seven years. It's completely up to you. Also you'll be in charge of the invites for the parents and someone to take a graduation picture of the whole class. Any questions?" She asked.

"Anything you would like the speakers to speak on?" I squeaked. I was now officially freaking out. N.E.W.T's, job applications, and now organizing the graduation. What else were they going to have us do?

"Not necessarily just as long as it's about graduation and the future and such."

"Next you're going to tell us that we should also plan one more Hogsmead visit before the end of the year." James joked.

"That's a great idea!" declared McGonagall. "Like a last bash for all of the students! I'm sure they would love that! When were you thinking?" I was now glaring at my boyfriend.

"I was…" She rose her eyebrow as he began to speak, "I mean next weekend?" He whimpered.

"Brilliant! You'll get on the posters for that too then. Great, we'll meet again before graduation to go over the details, have a great day!"

"James!" I screeched as soon as we were out of earshot of the good professor's office.

"I was joking." He groaned.

"Yeah, well she didn't care and now that's one more thing that we have to do. I'm already stressing out as it is. You know what that means?" I asked.

"No!" He said.

"Yes," I gave a deep dramatic sigh, "I'm going to have to start running again." Little known fact about Miss Lily Evans, I love to run especially when I'm stressed. At Hogwarts it was almost impossible to go for runs. Students stayed up late studying and couldn't leave their common room after a certain time and then those same students had to wake up early in order to get to class the next morning. Luckily we all stayed healthy and in shape thanks to how big the castle was and quidditch for those who played.

"Lily, calm down. We'll figure this out." James said taking my hand trying to comfort me. "Start at the beginning, what is the first thing on our long list of worries?" He asked.

"N.E.W.T's." I said without even having to think.

"And we're studying for those and have been studying for those since we were in first year. Really at this point all we can do is review. Next?"

That statement didn't really make me feel any better but I continued with my list. "Applications and waiting for an answer to said applications."

"Well, my dad has told me that aurors don't receive their acceptance letters until the summer so we might as well push that out of our minds. As for our other applications they are already sent in and at this point there is nothing we can do about it. We are either going to get accepted or we're not and if we don't we'll figure that out when we come to it." Now his arm was around me as we continued to walk towards the common room.

I nodded. "Graduation." I stated.

"Like Minnie just stated graduation is pretty much taken care of. We just need to find people to speak and if we do end up choosing ourselves to speak then we just need to make up a speak which really sounds hard, but probably won't be."

"Hogsmead."

"Pretty much already done we just need to remake the flyers we've been using for it all year."

"Finding a place to live." Oh yeah that was on my mind too.

"I already told everybody that if they need until the time that they can find somewhere to live they can live at my place. Mom already has a room set aside from you and if I'm being honest I'm pretty sure that they are already planning on you moving in until you can find somewhere."

"Surviving in the wizarding world by myself." I whispered.

James stopped dead in his tracks. "Lily Evans!" he almost shouted as I continued. I turned to look at him. "I don't know how many times I need to tell you that you are not alone! Yes, your parents are dead and yes your sister is a complete brat, but if you'll remember the day that I found out your parents were gone what did I tell you?"

I sighed. "You said 'Forget your sister, we're your family now.' Or something to that effect." I replied walking back towards him. "I don't want to be a burden though." I whispered.

He took my face in his hand and stared straight into my eyes. Shaking his head and leaning forward he whispered "Never." And then he kissed me.


	26. Chapter 25: Finally A Hogsmead Date

Chapter 25: Finally A Hogsmead Date

For the rest of the term that's how we looked at things just one step at a time. The Hogsmead trip was exactly what I had started to dream that a Hogsmead trip should be, shared with the ones you loved. The whole team went together which was great. We were walking down main street on the way back to the castle when James grabbed my hand and said "Just a sec, Lils." Then to the others. "You guys go ahead we'll catch up later." They all nodded and continued on.

"What's going on?"

"What's going on?" He replied to my questions and he started to drag me down the street. "What's going on is do you know how long I've wanted to take Lily Evans to Hogsmead and she would never say yes to me! Now I've got her and I don't get alone time with her at Hogsmead? That's just criminal Lils."

I smiled at that. "Point taken James. But I have to warn you, if you take me to Madame Pedifoot's I will kill you."

"No way would I take you there. No I have somewhere much better in mind." We continued through the village and up to the Shrieking Shack. "Technically it would be easier to get in through the Hogwarts way and I could have taken you here a thousand times, but I needed to get the Butterbeer and there just wasn't time for a sneak-into-Hogsmead trip. Oh and we're going to need this" He said throwing the invisibility cloak on us pulling me to a hole in the fence that surrounded the "haunted" building.

"We're going inside?" I asked as he continued to pull me through the hole.

"Lils, we've been over this it isn't haunted. It's just Moony and there isn't a full moon tonight so we're perfectly safe."

"I know all that." I said finally pulling my hand away from him almost making the cloak fly off. "That doesn't make it any less creepy."

"Creepy? Ha. If only you knew how many times I've gotten drunk in the house. Or how many arguments Sirius and I have had. Or how many eating contests we've had there. You would not find it creepy at all."

I paused for a minute and pictured everything he was saying. Finally I nodded. "I have always wanted to see inside."

"Who hasn't?" He asked taking my hand again.

We were able to walk straight through the front door. I briefly wondered if all of those trouble makers that had tried to break in had even thought to try the front door. Once inside it was nothing that years at Hogwarts had led me to believe. Even though it wasn't haunted I still expected to see sheets covering all of the furniture and a piano in the corner (all scary movies have pianos right?). But instead it was just a dusty old room. There were claw marks on the walls probably from some bad transformations, but really that was the scariest thing about the place. They even had a muggle tv sitting in the corner where I had thought that the piano would be. And in the first room that we came to was a picnic all set up.

"I know. It's a lot like our first date, but give me some credit, it's been a busy week." James joked walking towards the blanket.

I laughed. "Did I ever tell you just how much I loved our first date?" I asked sitting down beside him.

"Not for a while at least." He teased


	27. Chapter 26: Standing Up for Others

Chapter 26: Standing Up For Others

Graduation is a big deal in both the muggle world and the wizarding world. It's the day that muggles are done with schooling forever, unless they decided to continue on to university. For witches and wizards it means that as a magical folk you are now ready to enter the world of magic and get a job. There is no university in the wizarding world there is only training in jobs. In the wizarding world you come of age at the age of seventeen so most of those of us graduating were already considered adults, that meant that the only thing that we had to look forward to were our new jobs. Not really something that I was looking forward to.

I also was not looking forward to graduation either. If my parents were still alive they would have been there. My dad had been talking about it ever since they found out I was a witch, being able to go to the wizarding school and see where I took my wizarding classes. I knew that James's family would be there for me and that they would be rooting me on, but that didn't make me miss my family any less. So there was that and also the fact that we had decided that we would let us, as the Heads, to speak to all of our fellow students.

Compared to N.E.W.T's for some reason it felt like Graduation was even more stressful. My tests all went fine, I guess studying for them for the last seven years actually paid off. And before I knew it they were over. The rest of the students were looking forward to the summer and then coming back next year, meanwhile us seventh years were still in stress mode. "Stress is a way of life." Remus murmured one morning when someone asked how he was.

"Stress is my life." Sirius replied. I laughed at that one. I do have to admit that being friends with the Marauders was starting to pay off however. They were stressed so what did they do when they were stressed? They played pranks on others. They also just wanted to try to make sure that everybody else was happy.

"But you don't understand he sabotaged my final project!" a third year was complaining one evening as James and I returned from patrols.

"I know that, and you know that but we can't prove that to the teachers." replied his friend.

"So I'm just going to fail." The first third year I believe his name was Davis sounded more subdued.

"What's this I hear about someone sabotaging your final project?" asked Peter stepping in.

Davis suddenly looked nervous. Anyone would, if one Marauder was suddenly interested in your life then suddenly they were all interested in your life. "It's nothing." replied his friend, I think his name was Abbot.

"That's not what it sounded like to me." said Sirius using his calm voice.

"This Ravenclaw third year, names Zacharias somehow made his potion explode all over Slughorn." replied Abbot. "At least that's what it looks like."

"Why would he do that?" asked Remus now also involved.

"I accidentally spilled my pumpkin juice on him a couple weeks back in front of a girl he likes." replied Davis.

"Do you have proof that Zacharias did this?" asked James sitting down by his friends. Well all of the Marauders were now interested so I decided to take an interest too, might as well have something to distract me from everything else.

"I got up to take back all of my ingredients and well he was the only one close enough to have touched it. I studied so hard for that final. I'm not usually good at potions but Professor Slughorn gave me a heads up and I worked harder on it than any other final this year." Davis was suddenly looking rejected again.

"That sucks." said Sirius.

"It's nothing really." said Abbot. "Come on let's just go to bed." And with that the two third years head up to their dorm.

"What are you guys thinking?" I asked.

"Nothing, nothing at all." lied Sirius.

I rolled my eyes. "Guess I'll just have to find out with the rest of the school." And with that I gave James a kiss good night and also went to bed.

I didn't have to wait long it was just the next morning at breakfast that everything came to a head. Our group of friends all saw as Davis and Abbot both walked into the Great Hall. The walked past the Ravenclaw table and suddenly Abbot tripped and fell right on top of a blonde hair boy.

"You complete idiot!" he screeched.

"I'm sorry." Abbot exclaimed. "It was an accident."

"Nothing with you two is ever an accident."

"What are you going to do about it?" asked Peter walked towards the three boys. They all looked at Peter in shock probably thinking that their little encounter was just between them.

"That's none of your business."

Peter shrugged and kept walking. I was furious. Really? That was their big plan? It didn't even work! As Peter kept walking however suddenly everybody in the hall could hear the confrontation as if the three boys were whispering in their ears.

"I thought you would have learned your lesson by now. Are you two really as thick as you look?" Zacharias continued now that the seventh year was nowhere near them.

"It was an accident." Davis said standing up for his friend.

"I'm sure. I'm sure it was just as much of an accident as you failing your potion final." was his sarcastic reply. The whole hall gasped.

"Mr. Zacharias!" Slughorn boomed making his way down from the professor's table as fast as he could. "You're the reason Mr. Davis's potion exploded?"

"What?"

"No need to lie anymore Mr. Zacharias we all heard you." said Professor Dumbledore who had followed Slughorn down from the table.

"But, but how?" He was still fumbling as he was ordered to follow the two professors out of the hall which broke into cheers as the exited the room


	28. Chapter 27: Graduation

Chapter 27: Graduation

That gave me the idea for my graduation speech. "Some people think that Hogwarts is a place where when you are one person you are put into one place. The brave go to Gryffindor. The smart go to Ravenclaw and so on. And then once you are placed in that house that's it there is nothing else but house pride. I'm here to tell you that that's not true.

Hogwarts is a place where the brave can also be smart. Those that are cunning can also be kind. And there's a mixture of everything in between. Hogwarts is a place where you might start out as a first year with no friends and knowing absolutely no magic to finishing as a seventh year with so many friends and acquaintances and so many spells swarming around in your mind than you know what to do with.

Hogwarts isn't just a place where you learn about charms, transfiguration, and potions, but it's a place where you learn about the different types of people, you learn about what it means to be a good friend, and you learn a little bit more about yourself from those around you. It's a place where teachers may be tough but they really do care about your well being. And it's a place where for the last seven years we have all felt safe and at home before we enter the world where we don't know where safety is or where we will call home next.

Some of us might be teachers, some of us might be famous quidditch players, maybe one of us will write the next "Hogwarts: A History", and others will be out there fighting for our safety. But no matter where we go or who we become Hogwarts will always be there to welcome us home!"

Professor Dumbledore got up and said a few words after James and I had finished speaking. I don't remember what James said because I was too nervous about my own speech and I don't remember what Dumbledore said because my brain was buzzing with the knowledge that in a few short moments I would no longer be able to consider Hogwarts as my home. We passed our tassels from one side to the other (yes wizards and witches do that) and we threw our caps in the air and that was it. We were graduated.

Packing my bags to go home was never easy. And this year it was even harder. Sure by now they were mostly all packed. My friends would kill me if I ruined graduation night by staying too long at the castle, but still I fumbled.

"Lils?" asked James.

I looked up shocked. "This is the girl's dormitory you're not allowed up here."

"I guess they trust me now that I'm graduated and everything." I laughed. "Lils what's on your mind? I mean the most?"

"What's next?" I asked.

"That's a good question. I mean I can't promise you're going to be made an auror. I can't promise you're going to be made a teacher. I don't even know what assignment Dumbledore is going to send us on next. But I do know one thing, we'll do it together."

"How do you know though? I mean either one of us could be killed at any minute. Or if not that we could break up not all couples last forever."

He looked at me for one long moment. "Tell the guys I did it more romantically okay?"

"What?" I was so confused.

He walked towards me. "You want to know how I know? Because I wouldn't have bought this shiny rock if I wasn't absolutely sure that I wanted to be with you forever. That I will fight for you and by you until the end of time. Lily Evans I love you and I always will. Will you marry me?" And with that he got down on one knee.

Did I think I was going to be proposed to in my dorm? No. Did I think I was only going to be eighteen when it happened? No. Did I know that I was going to be an orphan and facing a war? No. But here it was and so even with all these no's screaming in my head I gave the one answer that made sense to me. "Yes!"

It was the only answer that made sense because James was right. We would be together for the rest of our lives. We would be together through auror training. We would be together through all of the assignments Dumbledore sent us on. We would be together when I found out that I was pregnant with a little boy. We would be together for the birth of Harry James Potter. And in the end I knew that we would be together even in death.


End file.
